Contemporary Immigration
Since the Puritan Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, the land that would become the United States of America over 156 years later has been characterized by the fact that it has been settled and populated almost entirely by immigrants. Today, immigration continues. But rather than being a country that blindly accepts most anyone who had the initiative to travel to the U.S. and put down roots, it is a place where immigration has become a sticky, complex, bureaucratic, and heated debate. In 2009, 1.1 million people were granted Legal Permanent Resident status in the U.S., over 74,000 were granted refugee/asylee status, and 3.4 million people were allowed to live in the U.S. for a limited amount of time. It is estimated by the Department of Homeland Security that, in the same year, the U.S. was home to 11.1 illegal immigrants. In 2007, 54 percent of the U.S. foreign-born population came from Latin America, 27 percent from Asia, 13 percent from Europe, and the remaining 8 percent from Africa and other regions of the world. These figures contrast sharply with the origin of the U.S. foreign-born population of 1900 when Latin Americans only made up 1 percent of the total population, Asians made up another 1 percent, and Europeans possessing the lion's share of 87 percent. Essentially, immigration still exists but it is markedly different.

After the 2001 September 11 Attacks
A Gallup poll taken in after the 2001 September 11 attacks showed that 52 percent of Americans felt that immigration was a good thing for the country as a whole, down 10 percent from the previous year. Couple that with America's slowing economy and sentiments towards immigration are becoming more and more negative. Economic downturns, throughout history, are often blamed on immigrant populations and the current recession is no exception. Many Americans feel that immigrants, particularly illegal ones, are robbing American citizens of jobs and leeching off of American social programs such as unemployment benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits, etc. These sentiments are reflected in a plethora of proposed and passed legislation that seek to limit immigration and stop illegal immigration. Perhaps the most controversial piece of legislation along these lines is Arizona's SB 1070 which puts illegal immigration enforcement under state jurisdiction, requiring state law enforcement agencies to inquire about a suspect's residency status. Many U.S. states have followed suit with similar laws. Beyond that, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky) and David Vitter (R-La) have proposed changing the 14th amendment so that individuals born on U.S. soil do not automatically become U.S. citizens, as has been the case since 1868. President Obama, in an attempt to curb illegal immigration, has more than doubled funding and manpower to the borders and deported a record number of illegal immigrants-779,000. Obama also supported the failed DREAM Act, which would have given millions of illegal immigrants citizenship who had graduated from an American high school and were planning on going on to college or joining the military.

Debate will Continue
These are but a few examples of issues America is facing in regards to immigration. No doubt, the debate will continue to rage on as long as people want to live in the United States. Many arguments for the benefits of immigration include America's ability to compete globally in many industries by importing foreign skilled labor and the idea that illegal immigrants often work the unpleasant but necessary jobs that Americans will not take for low wages, therefore increasing the U.S.'s net output of goods and services. Not to mention the scores of second and third generation immigrants who have come to be successful and productive members of American society and consider themselves Americans through and through. This would not be so were it not for their parents and grandparents who traveled to a foreign country in hopes of creating a better life for their children. Today's immigrants are no different than them.