The New Colossus Analysis

Words: 1896
Pages: 8
Open Document
In the acclaimed sonnet “The New Colossus” American poet Emma Lazarus writes, “Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Engraved within the inside of an icon of freedom, the Statue of Liberty, this statement has come to define the country of the United States of America. Even before its declaration of independence in 1776, the United States had been a haven for those seeking a better life. Flocking to this country by the millions, immigrants past and present have journeyed to the land of the free in an attempt to obtain a lifestyle based upon the United States’ concept of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” However, with such a vast amount of foreigners who desire access into the country, entry …show more content…
A report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) about the harmful effects of unskilled immigrants as accounted by two authors: Eric a. Ruark, director of research at FAIR; and Matthew Graham a FAIR staff member, provides insight into the issue. "[I]mmigration contributes to an already-existing surplus of low-skilled workers, increasing job competition and driving down wages... immigrants and natives compete for the same jobs and native workers are increasingly at a disadvantage because employers have access to a steady supply of low-wage foreign workers" (1). Unauthorized entry is the primary means through which the US economy gains access to low-skilled foreign labor. Unauthorized immigrants provide a steady workforce for occupations in agriculture, construction, food processing, cleaning services, and other low-end jobs. Businesses become reliant on the illegal workforce, turning away higher asking waged natives. These employers abuse their positions by offering low wages and degraded working conditions, Unfortunately, illegal immigrants do not have the opportunity for better jobs since most have little education and are low-skilled. The truth of the matter is there is no such thing as an "immigrant job", but rather a necessity for the job. Immigrants subsidize the labor force and provide the country with individuals willing to do labor intensive jobs for …show more content…
"Immigrants come to America today to build a better life through work, not welfare..." (Griswold 160). This is promptly demonstrated in the labor-force participation of immigrants. "[T]he labor-force participation rate of the foreign-born in 2010 was 67.9 percent, compared to the native-born rate of 64.1 percent... the labor-force participation rate of foreign-born men in 2010 was 80.1 percent, a full 10 percentage points higher than the rate among native-born men" (Griswold 161). Illegal inflows broadly track economic performance, rising during periods of expansion and stalling during downturns. For instance, the recession of 2007 to 2009 saw a great decrease in the number of illegals. The evidence for this is found in a report by the Pew Hispanic Center in 2010. The report displays data from the Great Recession in the years of 2007 to 2009. The data shows that during these years, America saw a drastic decline in the inflow of illegal immigrants. "From 2007 to 2009, the number of unauthorized immigrants declined by a million people, or 8 %" (1). The volume of unauthorized immigrants was estimated to be twelve million in 2007 and 11.1 million in 2009. Evidently the decline in population also affected their labor force. In 2007, the labor force of illegal immigrant was 8.4 million and fell to 7.8 million in 2009 (8). The data shows that the leading cause of illegal immigrants staying in
Show More

Related Documents: The New Colossus Analysis

The New Colossus Poem Analysis

I am writing to you about my concerns on the Executive Order 9066 that was issued on February 19, 1942. As a poet, I have much interest in human rights and politics. I believe in freedom and equality for all people. My poem, The New Colossus, explains American ideals and references the Statue of Liberty and its meaning. I think that this act has violated the expectations of America and lowered its high standards. This order was intended to increase the safety of our country but I believe it has done…

Words 460 - Pages 2

BSBMKG501B Assess 1 Essay

communities around the world to join our aspiration for creating a better world full of richer digital experiences. As we recognise our responsibility as a creative leader in the global society, we also dedicate our efforts and resources to offering new values to the industry and customers while fulfilling shared values of our employees and partners. At Samsung Electronics, we want to create a future that is exciting and promising for all together. As a guide to common understanding and measurable…

Words 2831 - Pages 12

Newspaper Regulation Essay

Finkelstein QC who is the Head of the Finkelstein Media Inquiry holds that The News Media Council will replace the Australian Press Council (APC) which is currently the main body overseeing media regulation. Furthermore, Derek Wildling argues that the Australian Press Council will be affected the most by the recommendations. If these recommendations are implemented this will mean replace the APC with a completely new body. Also, Wildling agrees that there are problems with the Australian Press Council…

Words 8103 - Pages 33