by Grace Schlimpert
Contrary to popular belief, the wall being constructed on the southern border is not actually racist.
Immigration itself is not harmful and it has actually benefited the economy. According to US News, 40% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or children of immigrants. These companies include: Apple, Amazon, eBay, Intel, Tesla, Yahoo, Capital One, and Kohl’s.
“Assuming that immigrant founders are responsible for the same fraction of large businesses as they are Fortune 500 businesses, immigrants and children of immigrants are directly responsible for more than 50 million U.S. jobs,” US News stated.
Together, these companies are worth almost 3 trillion dollars and employ almost 1 million people. The issue is not with immigration in general, but with people coming to the United States illegally.
Though Trump has begun calling it a barrier instead of a wall, the purpose is still the same: to keep out illegal immigrants.
The Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Attorney General to grant asylum if an alien is unable or unwilling to return to his or her country of origin because he or she has suffered past persecution or has a well-founded fear of future persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
The wall is not intended to keep everyone out of the country. If anything, it represents the laws that are already in place enforcing legal immigration. The United States is obliged to recognize valid claims of asylum under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and it’s 1967 protocol.
While legal immigrants can improve the economy, illegal immigrants can increase the competition among low-skilled local workers. Employers may benefit from undocumented workers because they’re desperate for work and accept poor pay which can influence employers to hire illegal immigrants instead of legal citizens.
I do believe that a huge cement wall is overkill, however, there are valid reasons for there to be a wall or fence of some kind. Undocumented workers don’t “steal” jobs, but their willingness to accept low pay gives them a higher chance of being hired.
The wall is not intended to be racist. The wall is being built in order to preserve the American economy and encourage immigrants to enter the U.S. legally.