Mediatory Argument

When it comes to finding common ground on important issues, few polarize people as much as immigration questions and difficulties. There are plenty of varying opinions on immigration, especially when one considers whether or not to grant United States citizenship to illegal immigrants. Some feel that illegal immigrants should be given a chance to earn their citizenship, since they are already in the country. Others feel that they are criminals who deserve nothing from the government of the United States. Finding a middle ground on that issue is difficult, but it is possible through mediation. When one takes the time to research the issue at hand, some interesting things come to light. The first thing that a person must understand is the definition of an illegal alien. An illegal alien, as the name suggests, is a person who comes to the United States illegally. In short, it is a person that enters the country through some means that is not approved by the immigration office of the United States. The punishment for such an offense is something that must also be considered by any person who is looking to do research. If an illegal alien is found out in the United States, then they are usually deported back to the country where they came from. In some cases, they are detained for a short time before being shipped back to their country. Research must also be done on the options for these people. Where do they come from and why do they come to the United States? As one might expect, the majority of illegal aliens come to the United States because they have nowhere else to go. These people do not have a future or a leg to stand on in their previous countries, so they make their way into America with an eye on making a new life for themselves or for their families. One side of this argument might also focus on the job status of these people, as well. Unfortunately for many Americans, some of the jobs have been occupied by illegal aliens. This is something worth considering if one hopes to find a middle ground between the two sides of this equation. There are certain middle grounds in this argument where people come together. Though folks might disagree on many things, one would be hard pressed to find anyone who believed that illegal aliens were worse off in the United States. In addition, most people on either side of the chart can admit that illegal aliens are just as likely to pass the citizenship requirements as those people who migrate to the United States legally. In addition to all of that, both sides can see some part of the American dream coming out in this situation. When America was being formed, it took on all comers as a place where anyone could come to explore and find great opportunities. Though that has changed some, it is still one of the American ideals that all residents of this country hold near and dear. As for disagreements, there are many in this case. The fundamental disagreement between the two sides is that people who think illegal immigrants should be given citizenship believe that the illegal alien laws are unfair. They believe that there needs to be widespread reform to accommodate for those people who make their way to the United States. Their basic argument is that it should not be illegal to come to America. Those on the other side would argue that the laws are in place to protect the country from being overrun by cheap labor and they are there to keep the economy in tact. In addition to all of that, the two sides disagree on the impact that illegal immigrants might have on the job market. Those who support the illegal immigrants feel that, ultimately, the increased productivity with these new workers will help stimulate the economy. Obviously, those on the other side feel that adding more low cost workers will make it difficult for people to demand competitive wagers in a competitive market. It is important to keep in mind the different viewpoints when trying to reach a common ground. In this case, the perspectives could not be any different on the issue. On one side, there are the illegal immigrants, who have escaped their previous life and made it to the land of opportunity. They see a new life sitting right in front of them for the taking and they see nothing wrong with that. Those who want these people gone are looking out for their best interests and they are somewhat fearful of what could happen is illegal immigrants were granted citizenship. Because neither party has had the chance to walk in the other party’s shoes, it makes things especially difficult. Illegal immigrants cannot understand why those people in the U.S. do not want to share their wealth. Those in the U.S. do not understand where the illegal immigrants have come from and why they might have made the decision to come. The common ground here is that everyone wants to work for the greater good of the human race. While it might seem like an idealistic or simplistic common ground, it is the basic premise that will have to drive the decision making. No good intentioned human being wants to see another human being suffer. That is where these people can come together. There are plenty of people in the United States who would want to see illegal immigrants exported that might have come from a rough background. They can certainly relate to the plight of these immigrants. The common ground is not a huge piece of dirt, but there is room for people to come together there for the great good of society. As far as a solution goes, there seems to be a place for one in this case. Though it might not fall right in the middle of what people are looking for, there is a way to come to something of a compromise. In order to give illegal immigrants the best chance to prove themselves and earn their way into the country, a probationary period must be adhered to before they are â€Å"full citizens†. In addition to that, they would have to complete all of the steps that normal immigrants have to go through, including the tests. This would benefit both sides, as it would not blindly throw people back into the hell that they used to inhabit, but it also would not open up the borders to anyone who wanted to come. Those people who made the choice to come to America would understand that it is going to take a long time to gain citizenship. In addition, this might even encourage people to go about immigration the right way, instead of having to sneak into the country.