American CitizenEssay Preview: American CitizenReport this essayAmerican Citizen Does being born on American soil or taking an oath of citizenship make you an American? If it was viewed purely in a legal context it certainly would but being an American means so much more than the legal definition. America is a country built by immigrants for those that were “ yearning to breathe free” ( Lazarus). Emma Lazarus in her poem Statue of Liberty expresses the need for freedom that immigrants have when they arrive into America. What I think being an American means is being someone that is willing to work hard for their goals and aspiration, someone that is going to take the opportunities given to them and making the best out of it, and someone that is accepting of a divergent population. One of the things that made America stand out so much was its openness to immigrants compared to other countries. In a span of one generation more than “10 million people migrated legally or illegally from Mexico to the U.S.” (Barone 1). Many of those people are trying to make a better living for themselves or their families while going after their American Dream. Those that came here illegally don’t have nearly the number of opportunities to go after the American Dream they risked their lives getting here for. These are people that are striving for the American Dream working as hard as any other american even if they aren’t American by law.
America is the land of many possibilities that promises “ equal opportunity, not equal outcomes “ (Paul Ryan). That is the story for americans and illegal immigrants a like. Many illegal immigrants are taking advantage of a loophole in the law that is allowing them to be employed legally. The federal law prohibits the hiring of illegal immigrants but does not have a “law prohibiting such a person from starting a business or becoming an independent contractor ” (Carcamo 1). Young and Tech Savvy illegal immigrants are using this opportunity to create internet businesses that are thriving. One such example is a young entrepreneur by the name of Chavarria “who was 7 when she crossed into Arizona from Mexico with her mother” (Carcamo 1). She is now using this loop hoop to run her own graphic design business to go after her dreams while waiting to be legalized.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too!
It is not all dark at the U.S. border but the laws of this country also provide strong protections for the US citizens seeking refuge. In fact, some US states will even help you in an emergency. But if you are going to take a chance in an emergency, they should do their jobs and don’t use law enforcement. So do not take any chances.
If you want to be a citizen of an American territory, you will have an American ID card. But if you are traveling through the US, your US ID card is probably not the best way to protect you against terrorists, terrorists, terrorists with good intentions and bad intentions. And the US should not require you to use a U.S. passport when coming to and from their territory.