Immigration. It's a subject that is usually at the back of our minds. For most of us, immigration isn't really up close and personal in our lives, just something we hear on the news once and awhile, or our parents are discuss grumpily over dinner at Maple Garden.

Admit it: For most of us kids and teens, politics and issues such as immigration aren't exactly the subject over banana splits at the local ice cream parlor. But I'm here to tell you that all world matters are important, even if they don't affect you personally, you need to know about them.

And so I would like to begin the first "Emmy's Logo Here". (No lip about the name, please. It's the only thing I can come up with at the moment.) Just so I don't get in a load of trouble from some of you, I'd like to make a point right off the bat: This week's column mostly pertains to the Untied States immigration problem, and if you aren't from the US, then maybe you could just sit tight and learn something about the subject (although many of you probably know enough already).

Let's start out with what immigration is, exactly: Immigration is the movement of non-residents to a certain country either with permission or illegally.

Okay, okay. That's the shortened version of about seven pages of random Internet searches. If you would like to look up the longer definition of what immigration is exactly, you could look it up in a book, while they still exist, or continue reading the column, either of which I don't care.

Alright, let's zoom in to United States immigration. Immigration to the U.S. has been a major source of growth to the country over many, many years. Although immigration has been large, the population of people born outside the Untied States has not exceeded 16%. That might not be a lot, but think about years from now: What number do you think it will be then, if the population keeps increasing. We could be talking high 30's. I'm not saying being born outside of the United States is bad, I'm stating the fact that it is increasing, and that the government wants to do something about it.

Immigration boomed 57.4% from 1990-2000, and it took the nation by storm. In other words, people started to freak out. With an estimated 7.5 million illegal workers in the United States, and 12 million household workers, (remember, these are estimates) people really started to press the immigration laws that had been passed years before. The government started worrying if the immigration enforcement system they had established was working out. Heh. I think not.

With over 850,000 predicted to come in each year, it's become more of an issue than ever. Throughout most of 2006, congress started proposals about what to do on the situation. In March 2007, a few of those proposals became law, but nothing big had happened yet in the subject of immigration. So, we know the numbers, and we know what the government big-wigs think, (sorry, chapmen) but does anyone else want to hear the other side of the story?

Here is what I think on immigration. Thousands of immigrants come into this country each year, and work their behinds off, pouring millions of dollars into our economy, just trying to have a life for their families and themselves. A few people seem to think this: Legal citizens are good, healthy, law abiding Americans. Immigrants are lousy, job stealing riff-raff. Tsk, tsk. But believe what you believe, and I will believe what I believe.

Now, one question: Why do you think it takes so long for honest, hard-working immigrants to get into the United States? I'm asking your opinion. Well, all the papers have to come through, which takes a whole lot of time in itself. Then you need to set up a job, and a stable environment using a visa. After that, the government takes a time and decides whether they want to let you into the Untied States of America or not. If you do get accepted, you have to wait years before applying for an American citizenship, and stay out of jail, get your debts paid, have a steady job, most of the things that some legal Americans don't even start to do.

With more than 500,000 immigrants getting turned away each year, and so manyy more entering illegally, what do you think of it?

BBS's, my good friends. Use them.

Glitsygrl

Editor's Note: Please join me in congratulating Glitsygrl for becoming a Whyville Times Columnist. She worked very hard on this column and is excited to share her opinions with all of Whyville. I encourage everyone to research the topics she presents and form your own educated opinions.