Immigration law and reform.
This is a letter to the editor, which I wrote in response to an article in the Wall Street Journal titled “American Exceptionalism and Why I’m Proud to Be an ‘Anchor Baby’” by Raymond Yung Lin.
Raymond Yung Lin has far more standing to articulate the views and perspectives of immigrants who come to this country to build better lives for themselves and their families than I. But my personal experience validates his unique understanding that in virtually every case the parents of “anchor babies” are hardworking people with a profound desire to improve the lives of the people they love.
Immigrants, legal or otherwise, can and do become patriotic Americans and many, like Mr. Lin, view the exceptionalism that is intricately woven into the fabric of their adopted country with pride and respect.
Though I am conservative and Republican, I believe that many in my party, and often those with the loudest voices, are on the wrong side of the immigration debate. Rather than reducing the numbers of immigrants who are allowed into this country, we should be increasing that number many times, perhaps to five million or more legal immigrants every year.
In my experience as a business owner I have witnessed firsthand what Mr. Lin knows. He says, “I have met many immigrants from many backgrounds, but I’ve never met one who wanted to become an American to live off of welfare.” Immigrants come here to work, and, given the opportunity, they do. I thank him for his words and for his contributions to the exceptional country in which we were both born and which we both love.
Michael K. McMahan,
Gastonia, North Carolina
