Immigrant Voting: Legal or Illegal?

The rise in immigration in America has led to the debate whether legal and illegal aliens have the right to vote on decisions in America. Many organizations and coalitions have been involved on both sides of the argument. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Currently, it is a hot topic when discussing immigration reform and allowing new rights to non-US citizens.

A major argument used to support immigrant voting is that immigrants are taxed and yet they are not represented. This means that they still have to pay taxes even though they are not allowed to vote. Many activists have spoken that this goes against the constitution and that it contradicts what the Declaration of Independence and the revolution of the United States’ stands for. After all “no taxation without representation.” Does it actually go against what the United States stand for? Another issue is that immigrants who have potentially lived here for years have still no say in United States government law.

One point about immigrant voting is the fact that only United States’ citizens can vote. It would be unconstitutional to allow a foreigner to vote in US decisions. It’s the same situation with legal and illegal immigrants. In addition, the immigrant might have a certain agenda for the United States. You have to consider their motivation and why they want to vote. They could encourage abstinence among illegal immigrants and drastically change United States law. Voting is a right every American citizen has. Legal and illegal immigrants are not considered American until they gain citizenship.

I personally think that it is wrong and unconstitutional to allow non-US citizens to partake in a very important act such as voting. Once the immigrants become a United States citizen, it is their civic right to vote. Some foreigners may be coming to the United States for work and better salary but then end up residing back in Mexico. If this person was allowed to vote, it would infringe on the constitution and American’s rights. By law, immigrants are only American once they are a citizen. In argument to the taxation, the immigrants are still protected by the constitution. They do have liberties and human rights. The only one is representation by voting. In addition, if they retire, they have good retirement benefits that are provided by the government. I strongly believe that legal immigrants do not have the right to vote. In the case of illegal aliens, I have a stronger belief of the case. The illegal aliens are not even here legally, defying the United States law of homeland and border protection. People who create fake identification or cross the border illegally and expect the right to vote are very hypocritical. Even for foreigners who have stayed here illegally for years have no legal right to vote.