Introduction
Immigration is a matter that has sparked a debate regarding its impact, especially on western countries like the United States of America. Being at the top of the political discussion, researchers like Huntington in “The Hispanic Challenge” have voiced their concerns on immigration. One of the reasons for immigration from Huntington is that immigrants’ cultures have contributed a lot to the formation of America’s identity. On the other hand, Huntington provides reasons against immigration, primarily immigrants from Mexico. The reasons against immigration are population explosion and language differences. The main arguments on immigration are mainly based on its impact to the host countries. Therefore, this paper will address the arguments made for and against immigration using Huntington’s article.
Reasons For Immigration
The main reason for immigration is the contribution to the formation of US identity. Immigration led to the diversification of culture since its inception. With the immigrant’s interaction with the natives, there was progressive assimilation of culture. Customs, beliefs, and art were explored, and people assimilated the best traits of their most appreciated culture. This assimilation and interchange brought the diversification of culture that is why the American flag has for ages held the banner of a collective culture. Huntington in his article, “The Hispanic Challenge,” seems to understand the positive impact of immigration on culture when he posits that immigration was the foundation of US’s identity. Immigration had played an important role in the formation of US cultural identity.
Reasons Against Immigration
Population explosion is one reason against immigration pointed out in Huntington’s article. According to Huntington, most immigrants had a higher fertility rate compared to the natives contributing to the population explosion. The Hispanic population continued to rise in areas in most states like North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, South Carolina, Nevada, and Alabama. The arrival of new immigrants and the birth of their children continue to increase the population of the host countries. If no immigration happened, the US population would have been less compared to its current population. Therefore, western countries such as the US are likely to experience challenges with a surge in population, like stress on social amenities.
Language differences are among the challenges of immigration that affect institutions like schools. The impact of immigration is largely felt in learning institutions because they bring together diverse language groups. The highly diversified immigration is the source of the problems that teachers experience when dealing with classes having learners who are able to speak 20 different languages. While this brings about diversity in the learning institutions, continued language differences can affect learning and socialization in learning institutions.
Conclusion
Huntington has addressed the reasons for and against immigration in the article, “The Hispanic Challenge.” Immigration is believed to be the primary cause of population explosion and language differences in western countries. As immigrants come into the host countries, they bring with them their culture, and the most evident one is the languages. Other than the disadvantages, immigration is believed to the source of the Americans’ identity. However, it appears that we have more reasons against it than the one for immigration. Based on this, it is important to major in discussing the benefits that come with immigration while solving the challenges that might arise. When we focus on solutions to the challenges that come with immigration, the discussion will change and people will begin to value immigration.