Tinajero
Alejandro Tinajero
Mr Dustin Denson
English II
15 November 2018
Should immigrants have the right to vote and would it affect the US in a positive or negative way?
Although immigrants don't have the right to vote in America, except for some local elections, the right for immigrants to vote should be legalized due to the fact that we would get more representatives in Congress; as stated in Texas where they have 36 representatives and the highest of the illegal voting due to immigrants voting. However, people find it unlawful for non-citizens to vote and that allowing immigrants to vote would strip out democracy in the United States.
Most immigrants come to the United States for refuge and to escape the horrors of a terrible government in their home country, immigrants allow people in terrible situations to make a new start in another country. Although there are 12.1 billion illegal immigrants there are 33.7 billion legal immigrants in the United States far outweighing illegal immigrants, yet people of the United States don't want to give these immigrants the right to vote due to them being non-citizens. Allowing immigrants to vote will broaden the population's perspective on situations and will be given greater meaning to something “meaningless” for example of a more centralized government, but most of these immigrants have seen the terrors of a failed government and can give their input due to their experience.
While a lot of immigrants vote already, they’re voting illegally and being stripped away from their chance of getting citizenship. Voting as an immigrant can have someone deported or even incarcerated. Everyone that is a United States citizen vote for their personal belief in what is right, immigrants do the same thing by expressing their opinion. Immigrants voting would bring critical thinkers that have fresh perspectives on old problems in politics. Most immigrants can’t get a citizenship due to the law prohibiting them from obtaining it unless being in the United States for four years. There is another option, though, if they have a spouse that is a citizen here in the United States which is only two years. Sometimes immigrants must wait longer due to the traffic and the vast amount of people wanting to become a citizen or even to get a Visa.
Before 1926 immigrants were given the right to vote in all states although the law in 1926 changed and didn’t let immigrants vote. The law was later changed in 1996 and making the law to only allow citizens to vote and punishing anyone that wasn't a citizen trying to vote. The United States has practiced, allowing immigrants to vote and there was no problem until President Calvin Coolidge went into office and induced the immigration act in 1924 which only the beginning of the restrictions of immigrants. While non-citizens were allowed to vote during that time period they were stripped from them being able to vote for apparent no reason. The Immigration Act of 1924 also affected a lot more than just voting, for example, restricting immigrants being able to enter the United States. A lot of the core beliefs still incorporate themselves in modern America. As you can see, immigrants are still trying to have access to being able to vote once again just like in the more simpler times of America.
In conclusion, I believe that immigrants should be given the right to vote in any type of election and not only for some local elections and have a positive impact in the United States. Due to them being able to have a new fresh input in a political situation and being let to experience a government that they might have never experienced in their home country. A pristine pair of eyes in an election that might be very impactful for the better of our country is extremely important and I believe that allowing immigrants to vote will grant that will and fulfill a better and more opened minded government.
Work Cited Page
Frazee, Gretchen. “What Constitutional Rights Do Undocumented Immigrants Have?” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 25 June 2018, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-constitutional-rights-do-undocumented-immigrants-have.
Cheshire , Cary. “Texas Poll Worker on Illegal Immigrants Voting: ‘We Got Tons of Them’ - Texas Scorecard.” Empower Texans, Empower Texans , 6 Nov. 2018,
https://empowertexans.com/state/illegal-immigrants-voting/.
Northwest Justice Project. “Do Not Vote Unless You Are a US Citizen.” Washington LawHelp, Washington LawHelp, 27 Nov. 2017, www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/dont-vote-unless-you-are-a-us-citizen.
“The Immigration Act of 1924 (The Johnson-Reed Act).” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State,
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/immigration-act
