America should/should not limit immigration - Essay Example

Immigration is the reason America is what it is today. American history is one of continuous immigration and this benefited the country greatly creating a vast and cheap labor force for its farms as well as industries. The earliest immigrants were the Europeans who brought with them their African slaves. They were followed by the English, French, Scots and Dutch; and then there was an endless stream of immigrants - Germans, Irish, Poles, Swedes, Jews from various countries and especially those who suffered persecution in their native lands.

They brought with them their unique customs and culture, and this blended with local traditions resulting in far reaching social, economic and political changes. Immigrants contributed to nation building and brought about changes like taxpayer funded schools to educate the ever increasing numbers of immigrants, in order to help them assimilate the language and customs of their new country, and enrich it by adding some they had brought along with them from their native shores. America is a large hearted nation, that has fulfilled its promise to immigrants to provide an atmosphere free from any kind of persecution, allowing them freedom to flourish in fields of their choice.

The result has been that America has thrown up a vast number of Nobel prize winners, as well as people who have excelled in their respective fields, be it sport or art, music or education , science or film making. People such as Albert Einstein, Madeline Albright, Colin Powell, Levi Strauss, Joseph Pulitzer and Arnold Swarchenegger, perhaps prompted President John.F.Kennedy to once remark that “Immigrants have enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life.” (Kennedy John. F. ) This environment, conducive to allowing people to live and grow without fear or favor has been America’s biggest advantage, and taking that away by limiting immigration; will herald the beginning of