Education to Children of Illegal Immigrants - Essay Example

At the height of immigration to North America, the country coined the title “land of opportunity.” Denying free education to children of illegal immigrants defies the American dream and the hopes that people had for the new country (Schrag, 2010). Free education for all was the main factor that differentiated America from other European nations. American progress and development was based on the government’s ability to create uniformity among its citizens through free education for all. The American legal system recognizes a child as a person who is below the age of 18 years.

Such individuals are not entitled to voting or making major decisions concerning their life. In addition, the US is a leading nation in terms of respect for human rights. It is evident that most children are illegal immigrants out of their own choice. Most of the children were born when their parents had already immigrated to the country. Thus, these children cannot be identified as illegal immigrants since they did not make a choice to be in the country. The government should respect their rights to free education until they are old enough to make concrete decisions about their citizenship.

The American government should consider the long-term impacts of denying free education to the immigrants. Obviously, most immigrants have hopes of becoming legal citizens of the United States. If the government continuously denies education to its citizens based on their migration status, the country will experience an education gap (Hing, 2004). Education is a major factor in the country’s development, and hence the country should not tolerate illiteracy. Denying education to such children will create long-term economic hardships for the country.

Educating children prevents them from. The American government should consider the long-term impacts of denying free education to the immigrants. Obviously, most immigrants have hopes of becoming legal citizens of the United States. If the government continuously denies education to its citizens based on their migration status, the country will experience an education gap (Hing, 2004). Education is a major factor in the country’s development, and hence the country should not tolerate illiteracy.

Denying education to such children will create long-term economic hardships for the country. Educating children prevents them from engaging in other social evils such as crime, drug abuse, and terrorism. Therefore, the government should provide free education to the children of illegal immigrants to promote their integration into the American society.America has a global obligation that goes beyond its domestic affairs. However, due to economic constraints, America often overlooks its global obligations.

America’s involvement in global politics and economics has made the country a key factor in promoting stability and development. Since the end of World War II, the United States has been involved in all conflicts around the world. Most of these conflicts create immigrants, most of whom end up in America. For instance, the Cold War forced many people from former Soviet states to immigrate to America for fear of persecution. Lack of proper immigration policies made most of the immigrants end up in America as illegal immigrants.