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What former U.S. Presidents and other notable people from the U.S. have said about Immigration
Stepping back from the current state of politics, U.S. demographics, and the complexities of immigration policy, I think it is worth it to look back at what former presidents and other notable individuals have said about immigrants since the founding of our country.
- I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong.
George Washington
- America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity. That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts.
James Madison
- The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources--because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples.
Lyndon B. Johnson
- Immigration policy should be generous; it should be fair; it should be flexible. With such a policy we can turn to the world, and to our own past, with clean hands and a clear conscience.
John F. Kennedy
- It says something about our country that people around the world are willing to leave their homes and leave their families and risk everything to come to America. Their talent and hard work and love of freedom have helped make America the leader of the world. And our generation will ensure that America remains a beacon of liberty and the most hope fill society this world has ever known.
George W. Bush
- Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
- The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respectable Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations And Religions; whom we shall wellcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges...
George Washington
- The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources--because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples.
Lyndon B. Johnson
- We came to America, either ourselves or in the persons of our ancestors, to better the ideals of men, to make them see finer things than they had seen before, to get rid of the things that divide and to make sure of the things that unite.
Woodrow Wilson
While the political climate in our country today might lead some to believe that the people and families negatively affected by the ongoing ICE raids across our country are simply criminals who aren't contributing to our communities, the truth is much more complex.
It is worth considering how difficult it is for many immigrants to reach the U.S. Often involving walking for hundreds if not over a thousand miles through inhospitable jungles, immigrants might have to pay their life savings or endure assaults, robberies, and much worse to get a chance at a better life. Many are fleeing organized crime groups threatening their families or corrupt governments, meaning that the danger of the journey to the U.S. is less dangerous than staying in a place they have always called home.
Of course, a minority are here specifically for criminal purposes, just like the minority of American citizens take part in criminality. The majority of immigrants are those seeking a better life or a safer place to live, according to a recent report from the National Institute of Justice.
One argument that has been repeated recently is that the U.S. government is taking care of immigrants instead of taking care of citizens. It is easy to misdirect the emotions of frustration and anger many feel due to the government's failure to help them meet their needs in the past few decades. But a clear-eyed look at immigration's benefits shows that immigrants, both legal and illegal, are a financial benefit to our government.
A 2007 review of academic literature by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determined that during the last twenty years, "tax revenues of all types generated by immigrants—both legal and unauthorized—exceed the cost of the services they use."
Additionally, farmers growing food crops often rely on immigrants to help harvest crops. Construction firms also can be found relying on immigrants as well as chicken processing plants and many other positions that U.S. citizens will not take.
It is easy to agree that immigration into our country should be controlled. But to blame immigrants living here for increasing food and housing prices or for the government not meeting the needs of our citizens appears to be misguided. That viewpoint is mostly beneficial to politicians who spend tax dollars without improving our quality of lives and security and to the very rich individuals and businesses who find ways to avoid paying taxes. Those unpaid taxes could be used to help our citizens and continue to make the U.S. a place that people all over the world consider the land of opportunity.
If you or someone you know is negatively affected by the raids taking place across the country right now, this information from the Florence Project is helpful and is also available in Spanish. Please note that the forms are specific to Arizona but it is a starting point.
- Gather important documents (the forms linked below, birth certificates, medical records, school records).
- If your children are minors and you don’t have papers, consider electing a guardian and completing guardianship and power of attorney forms. If you’re not in Arizona or Georgia, look online for the versions for your state and county.
- Sign, notarize, and copy the forms. Keep them in a safe place. Share your plan and copies of documents with someone you trust.
> Bibb County Temporary Guardianship forms (if outside Bibb County, find relevant forms on the website for your county or state): https://www.maconbibb.us/.../Form-28-Petition-for...
> Georgia Power of Attorney forms- can help protect your assets and designate an agent: https://law.emory.edu/.../blank-statutory-form-power-of...
> Power of Attorney for a minor child (for relatives of the child): https://gwinnettflc.atlantalegalaid.org/.../Power-of...
This is not legal advice. If you can, hire a lawyer. The information above is just a collection of forms and resources that may be helpful as Middle Georgia families plan to take care of one another.
[Thanks to Sarah Gerwig for her help in providing the above resources.]
