I. Attention Grabber – I plan to show images of people sneaking into the US and describing how many illegal immigrants live in the US
II. Orienting Material – Speak about how many illegal aliens come to the US every year and why their presence is controversial.
III. Thesis – The argument revolving around illegal immigration takes two major views: one where people believe that illegal immigrants help our economy through their cheap labor and willingness to perform undesirable tasks, and the other where illegal immigration is hurting the American economy and putting people in danger.
IV. Preview
- Illegal immigrants are dangerous and have a higher rate of crime than the average American population. They also take a lot of money away from the government that should be going to tax payers.
- Illegal Aliens mostly work jobs that most people do not want to do. Their cheap labor keeps the prices of goods down and overall they are beneficial in America.
- Stakeholders: Tax payers, unions, lower-end job workers/managers, government
V. Body: two major views on immigration – each have different reasons
- Some think illegal immigration is detrimental to America and should not continue.
1.Someone is considered “illegal” if they are in America unlawfully or on false pretenses
2. Illegal aliens comprised about 3.1% of the adult population in 2003. Illegal aliens represented about 4.54% of America’s prison population.
- The word “aliens” appeals to ethos trying to make Americans feel superior and more deserving to live here.
- Legal immigrants often represent a lower percentage of crime than their population suggests.
- They are screened on multiple occasions before becoming legal citizens about past criminal records and their likelihood to commit criminal activity à unlikely criminals can become citizens.
- Illegal aliens often are incarcerated for relations to drugs and smuggling (or repaying those who smuggled them into the US)
- People argue about their crime rates (logos) to instill fear in people so they will be against illegal immigration
i. They appeal to pathos and making people scared of aliens
3. Illegal immigrants generate large costs for taxpayers.
- The children of aliens get all the government benefits of a citizen
- Poor aliens can be aided by Social Security, Medicare, workers’ compensation, food stamps, public education, public services (police, firemen, highways, etc.), and more.
- Well educated households (college education) put in $30,000 (on average) more to the government in taxes than they receive in aid in order to help lower income houses
- Households without a high school degree gain about $35,000 per year from the government compared to taxes they pay
i. The average unlawful immigrant has only a 10th grade education. Half of alien households are headed by someone with less than a high school education, and 25% of households have someone with a high school degree
ii. Their children get full benefits from the government once they are born here, and illegal aliens often receive much more government aid than they pay in taxes
iii. This argument appeals to ethos by showing Americans have a better education and do not need aliens holding them back
- Many arguing this idea want the illegals to become citizens, but to not give them government welfare if they were working “off the books” to avoid taxes but still receive government aid. These illegals would be eligible for benefits after 13 years of being lawful and paying taxes to the government.
- Illegal immigration is beneficial to the American economy
1. Illegal immigrants help our economy through their willingness to perform undesirable tasks
- People always need to hire help for a task – such as restaurants or labor in the southwest. Others are always willing to do any sort of work for a price. Illegal immigrants are willing to work nearly any job because the pay is better than their pay at home
i. They address logos and pathos about the jobs saying why not let others do jobs we don’t want to do, but still need
- They do not take away jobs from union workers. Illegal immigrants end up working jobs that not many Americans want to work
i. Unions protect themselves to help their employees and also to show that they are reliable. Talented, trained, and trusted workers are the ones who are constructing buildings and fixing the electricity in a house. Unions are an ethos establishment with order and power that have protection
ii. Illegal immigrants often work in the labor intensive fields such as landscaping or in restaurants.
2. They do not cause any serious harm to health or schooling systems.
- Although they bypass taxes for schools and health systems that everyone has to pay, illegal immigrants contribute more to the economy that makes prices cheaper for everyone else. Their cheap labor allows the public to save money in food and service costs
3. People with these views want to assimilate immigrants into the American community and continue to allow them to live their lives.
VI. Conclusion
- Illegal immigrants have a marginally higher crime rate than the general population, but they also work jobs that many people do not want for cheap pay. Often, they take more from the government in welfare and public spending than they give through taxes, but they also keep the prices of food and service costs down in a way that saves the majority of Americans money.
- Illegal immigrants should be assimilated into the American economy, but they should not have full access to the welfare programs until they have contributed their share. Illegal aliens are everywhere, and if they were removed from our society many people would lose someone close to them.
Lori Bedell says
I shouldn’t have commented on this as it isn’t the revised version, but I thought it might encourage you to get things moving.
Lori Bedell says
You’re focusing too much on “facts” and not enough on the argument and the rhetoric used. We don’t need to know about incarceration rates or education levels unless you tie them directly to claims. You need to more carefully state each “position.”
Your first position might be:
Illegal immigrants cost the US more than they benefit it.
Then…. explain the arguments used to prove that and how they function rhetorically.
As it stands, your focus is off and you’re going to run way too long wasting time on things that are not the point.