I agree that people who enter the country illegally shouldn’t automatically be given citizenship, but I also think there are exceptions worth considering. Some undocumented immigrants work hard, pay taxes, and genuinely embrace American culture and values. In those cases, it feels reasonable to at least give them a path to legal status. For example, I knew someone in school who was undocumented. He was in JROTC and wanted to join the Marines when recruiters visited, but he found out he couldn’t because of his status. He showed a level of dedication and commitment that really stood out to me, especially for someone who wasn’t even allowed to serve. It truly made me think about the issue. At the very least, I think we should be increasing legal immigration, not shrinking the number of people who can become citizens. Even as a Republican, I’ve always felt that restricting immigration from certain countries doesn’t really line up with the core American idea that people from all over the world can come here and build a better life.
