According to an April 11th, USA Today/Gallup Poll, 63 percent of Americans believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the USA and become citizens, while only 18 percent believe illegal immigrants should be deported. It is important for us Americans to remember that we are very lucky to live in the best country in the world. One of my Bolivian classmates shared a story about how her village has no clean drinking water. Things are not much better for our Mexican neighbors. According to the CIA Factbook, “[In Mexico, the] natural fresh water resources [are] scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in [the] center and extreme southeast.the government considers the lack of clean water [a] national security issue.”
According to CNN.com, it is estimated that around 70 percent (seven to eight million) of the illegal immigrants currently in the United States are Mexican. According to the World Bank, “In 2002 half the population in Mexico was living in poverty and one-fifth was living in extreme poverty.” Without a doubt Mexicans are coming to America to escape hideous conditions. We Americans must welcome our southern brethren to the land of opportunity.
Recently, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called the tone of the immigration debate “hurtful” and added, “it’s just plain wrong” to dismiss illegal immigrants as felons. I don’t usually agree with Jeb, and I suspect that his Mexican-born wife Columba had something to do with his observations, but nevertheless he is correct. Many of us still remember in January 1996, when at a campaign rally in Waterloo, Iowa, Pat Buchanan ranted, “I’ll build that security fence, and we’ll close it! And we’ll say, listen Jos