Hello everyone, I need help for an assignment for a class in my college. I would just like to know what you guys think about immigration in the United States and your views on immigration in general. It's due in two days so I would really appreciate the help!

As a fellow College student, I will share my views on this topic. I don't think immigration has had a good rap throughout its history. Of course, the system for immigration is very messed up since citizens can be a bit too patriotic. If the system was orderly and immigrants didn't have to sneak in another country then it wouldn't have been as messed up. The United states needs to own up to their "unfair" immigration policy and immigrants shouldn't over stay their welcome. If both parties were respectful in their policies then non of this would have happened. But then again...its the United States, its done some messed up stuff

I'm a first-generation citizen and subsequently I've spent my whole life around immigrants– both documented and undocumented, but mostly the former.

As for the undocumented immigrants, I don't agree with how they came here, but I sympathize with them and I'd prefer if they could go through naturalization instead of deportation. Generally, they come with pure intentions– to make a living, provide for their families, give their children better opportunities for education. So they're not too different from legal citizens. But so many of them get stuck with jobs that take advantage of their work ethic. (What legal American citizen would want to take a hard labor job that pays $5 an hour?) Also, all the ones that I know still pay taxes, so I'm sure many others do.

I know that the idea of suddenly making them all citizens would never happen, but I don't like how callous some policies and people's attitudes are. They seem to forget or willfully ignore that immigrants are people too. Coming to a country with the sole intention of working your ass off to provide for your children sounds like an American dream if I've ever heard one. Isn't it cruel and unamerican to prevent them from even trying?

As for documented immigrants, I obviously don't have any problems with them. I actually really value them. I'm from Long Island, which I'm pretty sure is the most racially segregated suburb in the country. But my hometown is strangely diverse; I've been friends with people from many different ethnicities, and all races and major religions. I've also been in and out of NYC quite often, so I've seen how beautiful diversity can be. I really can't understand people who see immigration as a threat. It sounds cheesy as hell, but sharing cultures is a lovely thing.

I really don't know what the solution is. Like >>2 said, I wish there could be a balance, a mutual respect between citizens and immigrants. But it seems less realistic as time goes on.

I know that this is probably past the due date, as your assignment is probably already over, but I thought I'd chime in.

I work at an immigration detention center as a corrections officer, and so my job revolves around dealing with undocumented immigrants who were either "unlucky" enough to get caught, or they peacefully surrendered at the border.

On a quick side note, I've seen what happens when you're out and about, picking up groceries after work, and someone spots your uniform and knows you work in immigration. It turns into a battle of sorts, since some people don't take kindly to immigration and consider people such as myself the "Bad guy who makes a profit off of someone's pain and suffering." It's also interesting to bring up in conversation when someone asks what you do for a living. That turns into a debate and rant too.

I've seen the process up close and personal, and it gets emotional. You see people waiting to hear back from the immigration officers as to whether or not they've gained citizenship or they're getting deported, or when their next Asylum hearing is, and so on and so forth. I've seen the ones who break down crying because they've been told their getting deported, or refuse to leave their rooms because they know they're going back to their old country, and a supervisor has to be called in. And if its not that, its the ones who sit in their rooms and cry to themselves because they know they're missing out on their family and spending time with them.

On a positive note, I've seen the ones who cry because they're happy, and they manage to win their cases and begin the process for their citizenship, and can now join the family they have here, or begin working to try and help them make it over here as well.

We also get the occasional protestors who disagrees with the immigration policies and rally outside the building.

My view on immigration has probably changed in the years that I've been here. I used to not really pay it much attention, but now that I've seen it up close, I've developed my own opinion.

I've worked with immigrants who are just incredibly friendly, and just want to enter the U.S. for a chance at a better life, just like Anonymous above me said, but there are also those who end up here at the facility, and they're just terrible people all around. We've had detainees here who try their hardest to make life miserable for both their fellow detainees, and the officers and staff that work here. They're here for a chance to enter the country, but they behave in a manner that makes you wonder if they realize they're probably hurting their case. The way I see it, don't come in and immediately start demanding citizenship, and acting as though you're some sort of important figure who has authority over other detainees and the staff, and act like it's Oprah and everyone gets one. I've seen this before, and I wonder what goes through their heads that they want to treat people like crap, but demand something in return. I understand people have had hard lives, but that's not how you deal with it.

I can understand that people want better lives, and I have no qualms with that. If I were in their shoes and I was born outside of the United States, and into a country that wasn't treating me fairly or was overall inhospitable, I'd like to leave too. But there are right ways and wrong ways to enter. There is a process that has to be done, there are background checks that need to be done to determine credible fear or not, and whether that person screaming "I can't go back home to my old country because I won't be safe!" is being legitimate or not.

I don't agree with Far-Left activists, like Grassroots members, who protest Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), and tell them they're not welcomed here and need to be abolished. I.C.E., at least from what I've seen here, takes time to process the numerous cases that they get, and work tirelessly to find the required information and documents needed to reach a conclusion.

In short, I like to look at things from a Central point of view, and I believe that there should be updates made to the process for letting people in or keeping them out, but within reason. I believe in a solution where everyone has a fair chance and isn't going to just get turned away, but is capable of finding the people who would only come here and cause problems or have ill-intent. No "stay on your side of the wall," but no "We welcome you with open arms, free of charge."

I don't know if this helps or not, and if it can be considered informative, since it's just more of me expressing my point of view based on my personal experience, but I just thought I'd share.