Illegal Immigrants: Misjudged? by Adrianna Blount

Note: This post was written by a student in the spring of 2018.

Historically, the United States has been referred to as the country where dreams come true. Not only is the country of dreams full of opportunities, the United States has also earned the nickname “the Melting Pot” of the world, since people from all countries and nations come to live in freedom. Although the United States has freedoms and opportunities, diversity can be seen as a threat to the economy and the native-born citizens as more and more illegal immigrants appear to flood the nation. Illegal immigrants may suffer the consequences of having mixed-status families, such as undocumented parents of U.S. citizen children. Immigrants, in general, should receive educational benefits because they provide for their families, all the while helping the economy rather than crippling it, as some might suggest.

Immigration to the United States is not something of a new concept but rather is the entire foundation of the nation. Through Springer Science & Business Media, Roberto Gonzales (2009) states in an article that “as of 2005, there were 14.6 million people living in a little more than six and a half million undocumented families, and there were an estimated 1.9 million undocumented children under the age of 18” (p. 420). There are also families with different legal statuses that exist in the U.S., which can be referred to as mixed-status families. There are many cases in which the children are U.S. citizens while their parents are undocumented, which, quite obviously, causes problems for these children. An article written in Social Work demonstrates that since deportation policies are geared toward the undocumented parents, citizen children could possibly be left behind in their native country to be cared for by someone not known to them, or they could possibly be taken to an unfamiliar country with their parents. This article also mentions what Justice Brennan thought about this particular issue during Plyer v. Doe in 1982, in which he states that “condemnation on the head of an infant is illogical and unjust…no child is responsible for his birth, and penalizing the…child is an ineffectual—as well as unjust—way of deterring the parent” (as cited in Zayas & Bradlee, 2014, p. 168). Children do not get a say in the given circumstances and should not suffer consequences for their parents’ attempts in giving them better opportunities in life.

Furthermore, children, whether legal or not, deserve to receive an education, especially in the country known as “The Land of Opportunity.” An article written in Berkeley La Raza Law Journal explains that the DREAM Act is “a legislative effort that can generally be characterized as an attempt to fulfill two goals: ‘(1) allowing and assisting undocumented children to attend college; [and] (2) creating a legalization process for the undocumented children.’” This article also elaborates on ex-President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which “offers qualified applicants ‘deferred action’ from removal, as well as the opportunity to apply for two-year work authorization.” During the case of Brown v. Board of Education, the Court stated that to deny a basic education to these children also denies them the possibility of being able to contribute in the progression of the United States (Federico, 2013, p. 9, 16). Children should not be rejected in obtaining the opportunities to get an education because they did not have a choice in the matter.

Some people argue that immigrants harm the economy and do not do anything to benefit the United States. However, the results of immigration are actually the opposite and help the economy, which allows the United States to prosper. A well-written article in the International Social Science Review expresses how immigrants bring diversity to the United States, that is American culture. More specifically regarding the economy, this particular article quotes the National Research Council in that “immigrants add as much as $100 billion to the economy each year and they will pay more in taxes than they use in government services [including receiving an education] over their lifetimes.” This clearly states that immigrants pay taxes, but this particular article also continues to explain how immigrants are also consumers in the economy, which generates even more money into the economy. Immigrants, as consumers, “buy cars, cell phones, food, [etc.]…pay taxes, contribute to society culturally, and have demonstrated their willingness to engage in hard work. They may or may not have documents, but their contributions to American society cannot be denied” (Marietta, 2006, p. 66). Undocumented parents work hard to provide better opportunities for their children and, in doing so, allow the economy to prosper, which keeps the United States going strong.

Personally, I have seen a family from Mexico work hard to make sure their children get an education and gain opportunities that are not available in Mexico. For instance, my father owned a construction company he started himself and hired many people from this one family to work for him. These parents were undocumented; however, the children are U.S. citizens. The children were able to attend school while their parents continued to work to provide for their families in the country and also be able to send money to their family left behind in Mexico. Also, these adults were able to learn English and learn about American history as well as current events. With that, they were able to take the citizenship test and continue to provide for their families while keeping the economy strong.

Immigrants, specifically illegal immigrants, are often seen as a threat to the American economy and therefore are condemned for being allowed to receive an education. Many mixed-status families suffer the consequences for attempting to follow their dreams for a better life full of opportunities not only for them, but also for their children. The ability to receive an education allows for these children to have the possibility of contributing to the continued growth of the United States. These children also deserve the right to an education given that they did not choose their circumstances and, therefore, should not be punished for it. Not only do these children have the potential to contribute, but their undocumented or documented parents work hard and help the American economy prosper.

References

Federico, R. (2013). Lifting the “lamp beside the golden door”: An argument for immigration reform, advocacy, and transformation through testimonies. Berkeley La Raza Journal, 23, 3-34. Retrieved from https://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1254&context=blrlj  

Gonzales, R. (2009). On the rights of undocumented children. Society, 46(5), 419-422. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1561812/Gonzales_Roberto_G._2009._On_the_Rights_of_Undocumented_Children._Society._Volume_46_Number_5_419_422           

Marietta, M. (2006). Undocumented immigrants should receive social services. International Social Science Review, 81(1/2), 61-66. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41887260?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents     

Zayas, L. H., & Bradlee, M. H. (2014). Exiling children, creating orphans: When immigration policies hurt citizens. Social Work, 59(2), 167-175. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/sw/article-abstract/59/2/167/2276173?redirectedFrom=PDF

The Healthiest Lifestyle by A.F.

Note: This post was written by a student in the spring of 2018

Living a lifestyle that is truly healthy is not commonly achieved in the world today. Many people attempt to stay physically active and challenge themselves mentally as ways to stay healthy. However, the most important factor to living a healthy lifestyle is choosing to have a wholesome diet and make wise nutritional choices. Does something as seemingly insignificant as what a person eats in a day ultimately affect their overall health and mental function? This is something often overlooked or seen as irrelevant to a person’s well-being, despite the major effects unhealthy eating can have on someone’s vital organs and hormonal levels. The food that someone consumes in a day and how they fuel their body affects their energy, mood, and ability to focus. However, a well-balanced diet is not always a part of people’s lifestyles. As people continue to choose foods that give no nutritional benefit, they might think the harm and results to their bodies will be minimal. Most people don’t realize until it is too late that these choices result in permanent bodily damage. A person’s choice to eat whole foods or home cooked meals as opposed to processed and fast food significantly impacts how they feel emotionally, mentally, and physically.

            There are many unfortunate things that can result from choosing unhealthy foods as meals or snacks on a daily basis. A common disease that results from continual intake of fast food and other junk foods is obesity. Obesity is the result of someone eating more calories than their body burns off. This can lead to the risk of more life-threatening diseases such as diabetes or cancer. This also results in difficulty of movement and completion of average day-to-day activities. Daniel Keren (2005), in his article “Meeting the Challenge of Obesity”, interviews an endocrinologist who attributes the increase of obesity in people of all ages to fast food restaurants that have menus primarily filled with meals that are high in fat and large in portion sizes. Additionally, the American Psychological Association (APA, 2018) stated, “Obesity is also frequently accompanied by depression and the two can trigger and influence each other.” These studies as well as others reveal some of the risks and unfortunate side effects fast food and unhealthy eating can have on how humans function and feel emotionally as well as physically.

            Other conditions that can result from an unhealthy lifestyle are Premenstrual Syndrome, anxiety, and depression. Many girls who experience extreme symptoms before beginning their menstrual cycle are diagnosed with Premenstrual Syndrome. A study conducted by Electronic Physician explains that “decreasing consumption of salty or high-caffeine foods, and eating low-fat high-fiber food improves symptoms [of PMS] by decreasing estrogen level” (Mohebbi, Akbari, Mahmodi, & Nasiri, 2017). Similarly, the results of an experiment covered in an article for Atherosclerosis revealed that those who ate an unhealthy diet had different levels of anxiety and depression than those who consumed healthier foods (Bonnet et al., 2018). Though diet may be disregarded as something that can help or worsen PMS, anxiety, and depression, it can have a strong influence over the intensity of the symptoms experienced in these diseases.

            The way people eat also affects their mental function. Fueling the body with food that is high in protein, healthy fats, and vitamins provides the mental strength to think clearly and comprehend information. Those who rely on junk food and caffeine to give them what they need to function will eventually crash due to consuming nothing of nutritional and sustaining value. A study conducted by J. Zahra and colleagues (2013) revealed that school children who ate junk food on a daily basis experienced mental and physical challenges. As Eva Selhub (2015), a writer on the Harvard Health Publishing website, explained, “like an expensive car, your brain functions best when it gets only premium fuel…unfortunately, just like an expensive car, your brain can be damaged if you ingest anything other than premium fuel.” When humans fuel their bodies with substances with little to no value, brain cells are slowly damaged and the ability to function in a way that is mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy is compromised.

            Though there is evidence of people who have diseases or health issues that are linked back to unhealthy diets, many will argue that there are plenty of people who have unhealthy diets and are perfectly fine. However, those who are making unwise eating choices might not see their health decline in ways such as weight gain or other physical issues until they are older and their metabolism has slowed down. A writer for Healthline explained that some of the effects of long term constant intake of fast food can be difficulty of breathing, dental issues, risk of high blood pressure, skin breakouts, and much more (Pietrangelo, Carey & Holland, 2017.) People who constantly eat unhealthy foods are likely to experience these side effects as their bodies react to the unwholesome meals being consumed and internal damage slowly occurs. This damage might not become evident immediately, but someone feeding their body nothing but unhealthy substances is unlikely to walk away with a perfectly healthy body (Selhub, 2015). Ultimately, whether it is obvious to the person or not, those who do not provide their body with the nutritional values it needs will have underlying health issues and will be more likely to develop illnesses and diseases.

            Healthy eating is vital to maintain a lifestyle that is wholesome and strong. Someone can be active and in shape, and challenge themselves mentally on a regular basis. However, they are not truly healthy unless they have taken the action of improving their diet and feeding their body the nutrition that it needs. Ultimately, those who eat a diet that can provide the energy, mental capabilities, and emotional stability a person requires to function will live the healthiest and happiest lifestyle.            

 

References

American Psychological Association. (2018). Mind/body health: Obesity. APA.org.

 http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/obesity.aspx

Bonnet, F., Irving, K., Terra, J., Nony, P., Berthezène, F., & Moulin, P. (2005). Anxiety and

depression are associated with unhealthy lifestyle in patients at risk of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis, 178(2), 339-344. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2004.08.035

Keren, D. (2005). Meeting the challenge of obesity. Kashrus Magazine, 26(1), 134-145.

doi:http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.ololcollege.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=985d108e-3bbc-48d8-b4a0-ecead8e78471%40sessionmgr4010

Mohebbi, M., Akbari, SAA., Mahmodi, Z., & Nasiri, M. (2017). Comparison between the lifestyles of university students with and without premenstrual syndromes. Electronic Physician, 9(6), 4489-4496. doi:10.19082/4489

Pietrangelo, A., Carey, E., Holland, K. (2005-2018). The effects of fast food on the body. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/fast-food-effects-on-body#1

Selhub, E. (2015). Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

Zahra, J., Ford, T., & Jodrell, D. (2014). Cross-sectional survey of daily junk food consumption, irregular eating, mental and physical health and parenting style of British secondary school children. Child: Care, Health and Development, 40(4), 481-491. doi:10.1111/cch.12068