Current Immigration Issues Facing the U.S.

Who is Maria? And where is she?

She could be a legal immigrant or an illegal entry. She could have overstayed her visa, or she could have been an American citizen. Where is she? Perhaps hiding or interned in our modern-day Concentration Camp.

There are many types of immigrants who are legal and help the US. Here is a list of the many variations.

The main types of immigrants in the U.S. are citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), non-immigrants (on temporary visas), and undocumented immigrants. Within these categories are many sub-types, including those who immigrate for family ties, employment, to seek refuge or asylum, or through the diversity visa program. 

Categories of immigration status

• Citizens: These are people who are born in the United States or have become naturalized citizens.
• Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders): Individuals who have been granted the legal right to live and work permanently in the U.S. This can be obtained through family sponsorship, employment, or other means.
• Non-immigrants: People who are in the U.S. on a temporary basis for a specific purpose, such as for a tourist, student, or temporary worker visa.
• Undocumented Immigrants: Individuals who are living in the United States without legal authorization. A better term for this group would be illegal entries.

Common immigration pathways and statuses

• Family Sponsored Immigrants: Individuals sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family member.
• Employment-Based Immigrants: People who come to the U.S. for a job or to start a business.
• Refugees and Asylees: People who are seeking protection from persecution in their home country and have been granted asylum or refugee status in the U.S.
• Diversity Immigrants: Individuals who come to the U.S. through the Diversity Visa program, often called the “visa lottery”.
• Conditional and Special Immigrants: This includes statuses like conditional permanent residents (for those married to a U.S. citizen for less than two years) and holders of Special Immigrant Visas (for certain individuals who worked for the U.S. government abroad). 

In reality, undocumented immigrants are not really immigrants. They are illegal entries. Some of these illegal entries are criminals, drug dealers, human traffickers, spies…  Some of these are very bad, but not all. Some just want to escape their country.

The government should not use the term “immigration” to refer to illegal entry. It confuses immigration with something illegal, illegal entries, which is not immigration.

President Trump talks negatively about immigrants as if they are all the same. Here is the counterexample. Read on.

Part 2 GOOD IMMIGRANTS 

The legal immigrants provide many benefits to the US. They provide workers in many critical areas. They pay taxes. They are essential to special-area businesses such as farming, medical research, and high-tech businesses. They help America with its population decline.

All industrial countries but one have a declining population. When this happens, too many people start to exist in retirement. This causes worker shortages in many businesses.  Consider what would happen if 50% of US citizens were retirees. That does not exist now. But when the population declines, it moves towards this type of situation. There needs to balance in the number of citizens across all age groups. Immigrants have solved this problem for America. Trump has disrupted this solution. Later in this section, we will present lists of immigrants who were essential to the economic development of the US.

Besides workers, immigration can also cause a brain drain from other countries. Let us consider some from the past.

We will include scientists, inventors, and other good immigrants in the “Immigration 2 Benefits” section.

Understanding the benefits of immigration will help you support legal immigration and not confuse that with illegal entries, some of which are helpful for our country.

Trump incorrectly uses the term immigrants for illegal entries. He states that all immigrants (really illegal entries) are bad. This confuses the issue.

(really not immigrants but ILLEGAL ENTRIES)

The number of Illegal entries is unknown. Some are criminals, gang members, human traffickers, drug dealers, or spies, but not all are negative. Some just want to come the US for a better life.

This website does not have statistics on how many are in this category. Most countries have illegal entries that are socially undesirable. These people hide their status and behavior.

What do immigrants do to help America? How much do they help?

Part 4   ASIAN IMMIGRANTS IN MEDICINE

Famous Asian immigrants in medicine include Dr. Margaret Chung, the first Chinese American female physician; Dr. David Ho, a virologist who developed antiretroviral therapies for HIV/AIDS; and Dr. Min Chueh Chang, a reproductive biologist who helped develop the birth control pill. Other notable figures are Dr. Tetsuzo Akutsu, a pioneer in artificial heart research, and Anandi Gopal Joshi, the first Hindu and Indian woman to earn a medical degree in the United States.

• Margaret Chung, MD: The first Chinese American woman to become a physician. She established one of the first Western medical clinics in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1920s, notes the National Park Service.
• David Ho, MD: A Taiwanese American physician, researcher, and virologist. He is known for developing a modern antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS, according to Connecticut Children’s.
• Min Chueh Chang, PhD: A Chinese-American reproductive biologist who was instrumental in developing the birth control pill and in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques, according to Connecticut Children’s and Montage Health.
• Anandi Gopal Joshi, MD: An Indian physician who was the first Hindu and first Indian woman to earn a medical degree in the United States.
• Tetsuzo Akutsu, MD, PhD: A Japanese-American who was an expert in artificial heart development. He was part of the team that implanted the first successful total artificial heart in the U.S., notes the Providence blog.
• Katherine Luzuriaga, MD: An American physician recognized for her work in infectious diseases.
• Peter Tsai, PhD: A Chinese-American scientist known for his work on advanced materials and nanotechnology.
• Kazue Togasaki: One of the first Japanese American women to become a doctor in the United States.
• Tsai-Fan Yu: The first woman to be appointed a full professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Can you imagine the economic loss to America from not having these immigrants? The fact that they existed enabled the US to attract higher-quality immigrants and create more international trade.

This is just a small sample. Perhaps you could call your representative and encourage them to distinguish between illegal entries and immigration.

Here are just some of the great immigrants in this area.  Our whole country is made up of immigrants, their children, or their grandchildren.

Famous immigrant inventors and engineers in the U.S. include Nikola Tesla (Serbian), Alexander Graham Bell (Scottish), and Sergey Brin (Russian), who were instrumental in developing electrical systems, the telephone, and Google’s search engine, respectively. Other prominent examples include Albert Einstein (German), Enrico Fermi (Italian), and Andrew Grove (Hungarian), who made significant contributions to physics, the first nuclear reactor, and the founding of Intel.

Electrical and mechanical engineers 

• Nikola Tesla: A Serbian-American engineer who developed the alternating current (AC) electrical system.
• Alexander Graham Bell: A Scottish inventor who was crucial to the development of the telephone.
• Willard Boyle: A Canadian-born physicist who moved to the U.S. and co-invented the CCD sensor, for which he won the Nobel Prize.
• James Hillier: A Canadian immigrant who helped develop the first commercially viable electron microscope at the Radio Corporation of America.

Physics and scientific pioneers

• Albert Einstein: A German-born physicist whose work in the U.S. was foundational for nuclear technology. He convinced the President to fund the atomic bomb.
• Enrico Fermi: An Italian physicist known for producing the first nuclear reactor and for his contributions to nuclear physics and the development of the Hydrogen Bomb.
• Eugene Wigner:  A Hungarian-born physicist who received the Nobel Prize for his contributions to atomic nucleus theory.
• Rainier Weiss: A German-born physicist who was instrumental in the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves, winning the Nobel Prize for his work.

Computer and technology innovators 

• Sergey Brin: A Russian immigrant who co-founded Google.
• Andrew Grove: A Hungarian immigrant who helped found Intel, a major computer chip company.

Other fields

• Herman Frasch:  A German-born chemist who worked in Philadelphia and Cleveland on chemical extraction techniques.
• David Lindquist: A Swedish inventor who patented innovations for the electric elevator while living in New York.
• This is a partial list. Many famous US inventors and engineers were immigrants who made significant contributions to American technology and industry.

Again, could we do without these immigrants?  We need more of these immigrants. These are NOT ILLEGAL ENTRIES.

This is more of the same, more beneficial immigrants from Mexico.

Politics and activism

•  Sonia Sotomayor: The first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.
• Cesar Chavez: A labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.
•  Dolores Huerta: A co-founder of the United Farm Workers and a civil rights activist.
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: A U.S. Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district.
• Jorge Ramos: A journalist and author.

Arts and entertainment

• Salma Hayek: An actress and producer.
• Carlos Santana: A Grammy-winning guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who emigrated from Mexico with his family.
• George Lopez: A comedian, actor, and television host.
• Selena Quintanilla: A Grammy-winning Tejano singer who opened doors for future generations of Latina musicians.
• Anthony Quinn: An Academy Award-winning actor.
• Eva Longoria: An actress, producer, and director.
• Lin-Manuel Miranda: The creator of the Broadway hit Hamilton

Science and military

• Ellen Ochoa: The first Hispanic woman to travel to space and the first Hispanic director of the Johnson Space Center.

Famous Mexican doctors include Nobel laureate Severo Ochoa for his work on RNA synthesis, Matilde Montoya, the first woman to qualify as a doctor in Mexico, and figures like Julio Frenk, a former Mexican Secretary of Health who later led the Harvard School of Public Health. Others with significant contributions include Guillermo Soberón Acevedo, a former Secretary of Health, and Ernesto Contreras, a surgeon known for his expertise in liver transplants.

Again, could we do without these immigrants?  We need more of these immigrants.

Here is more of the same positive immigrants.

Several notable scientists who were born in Mexico immigrated and made significant contributions, particularly in the United States. Key figures include:

• Mario Molina: A Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Molina was born in Mexico City and received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He was a co-recipient of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking work in atmospheric chemistry, specifically the discovery that chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases were depleting the Earth’s ozone layer. His research led to the global Montreal Protocol, which banned CFCs and helped protect the ozone layer. He later served as a professor at the University of California, San Diego, and was a climate policy advisor.
• Albert Vinicio Báez: Born in Puebla, Mexico, he immigrated to the U.S. at age two and became a prominent physicist. As a doctoral student, he co-invented the X-ray reflection microscope with Paul Kirkpatrick in 1948. This invention led to the development of X-ray optics and has been used to examine living cells and study galaxies.
• Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa: A world-renowned neurosurgeon and researcher, he runs a research lab at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. He immigrated from Mexico and is known for his significant work in brain cancer research and treatment. His life story, which includes working as a farmhand before becoming a top scientist, is often cited as an inspiration.
• Jose Hernandez-Rebollar: Born in Puebla, Mexico, he moved to the U.S. in 1998 on a Fulbright scholarship to pursue his PhD in electrical engineering at George Washington University. He is best known as the creator of the AcceleGlove, an “intelligent glove” that translates American Sign Language hand gestures into spoken and written words, greatly improving communication for deaf people.
• Sarah Elizabeth Stewart: Born in Mexico in 1906, she moved to the U.S. during the Mexican Revolution. She became a pioneering scientist in viral oncology and made significant contributions to cancer research.

Would America be better without these immigrants?  Call your legislators to not confuse immigrants with illegal entries.

Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. 500 years before Columbus, a Viking named Leif Erikson landed in Canada. Even native people were here before that. The rest of us are immigrants.

Let me introduce you to one immigrant I know from Mexico. Dr. Edgar Hernandez immigrated to the USA at the age of ten. He saved my life from breast cancer! At a difficult time, I was blessed to find one of the kindest, most compassionate, and caring doctors.

Dr. Edgar Hernandez is an inspiring immigrant whose journey from Mexico to the United States at age ten shaped not only his life, but also the lives of countless patients. Arriving in a new country was daunting for young Edgar—he had to quickly adapt to a different language, unfamiliar customs, and the challenge of forging new friendships. Despite these hurdles, he channeled his experiences into a deep empathy for others, sparking his dream of becoming a physician. Driven by the memory of watching his own family struggle with limited access to healthcare, Dr. Hernandez committed himself to medicine. He

Was determined to be the compassionate presence he wished his loved ones had in their hardest moments. He succeeded.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, Dr. Hernandez’s kindness was evident from our very first meeting. He patiently explained every option, listened to my fears without judgment, and once, noticing I was anxious before a procedure, took the time to use humor and genuine care to comfort me. He gave me courage when I needed it most. Dr. Hernandez’s path is a testament to resilience and heart—his compassionate approach touches everyone fortunate enough to call him their doctor.

He has been a recognized asset to his community and to this nation. Other former patients like myself are proud to call him a true American.

Immigrants have a long history of achievements in America. We are a nation of immigrants.

Calling all immigrants nasty names is ridiculous. We need immigrants like this.

This is the incredible true story of an immigrant farmworker who becomes a neurosurgeon.

Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa (also known as “Dr. Q”) has led such an amazing life that Disney is making a movie about him. Dr. Q is a Mexican American neurosurgeon, author, professor, and cancer researcher.

Quiñones was born in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. At age 19, he relocated to the United States without knowing English. As a young man, he accepted the only job available—working on a farm. Dr. Q was an extremely bright, driven young man who, after learning English, could not be stopped. He went to college and Harvard Medical School and became a neurosurgeon.

He takes his responsibilities as a doctor seriously. Not only is he a professor at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, but he also regularly supports brain cancer research through fundraisers, including half-marathons with his research team and patients. His works on brain surgery are used in textbooks at medical schools all over the country.

Not all immigrants become doctors, lawyers, teachers, or scientists. But some do. People who come here dream of a better life. They work hard, adapt, learn a new language and culture, and contribute to our country. It’s not easy, but they do it to give their children a better life.

Immigrants have always been welcomed and appreciated. All citizens are immigrants or offspring of immigrants. It is shameful that some of our citizens forget this.

What population problem?  Are you aware that every industrialized country in the world but one has this problem? Read on. It is very serious.

Pg 1 POPULATION BALANCE    

There is a population balance that enables our country to function well. We need enough working citizens below retirement age to run the country and support social security, because the taxes and growth on their SS tax contributions depend on younger people to help pay into the system while people are in retirement. Their Social Security goes into their retirement and acts as an insurance policy for people who live longer than the actuarial tables predict for senior citizens. This system works as long as we sustain the population.

This a complicated procedure that requires some adjustments over time. Next year, the full retirement age will increase to 67 years.

Every country in the industrial world except one has too few births to sustain its population. Countries need 2.1 births per family. The US normally receives around 1.1 million legal immigrants per year. This sustains our population. It is absolutely ESSENTIAL to our economy to keep this rate. America has been doing this for many years. Under Trump, this has dropped to 5,000 per year. This is a SERIOUS PROBLEM.

Well, now you see the problem. How do we solve this? Read on.

Are there solutions to this problem?  The brief answer is YES!

At a glance, there appear to be two possible solutions. One solution is for families to have more children. Another possible solution is to admit more immigrants.

Having more children has some problems. One is that American citizens may not want to do this. They may feel it is too expensive. Raising children is expensive. You might think that we could solve this by subsidizing families. This really will not help. Why?  Because a child takes at least 18 years before it can become a full-time worker in the economy. If a child wants to be a highly educated worker, such as a doctor or attorney, or to earn a PhD in some field, they would be around 26 before they are a full-time worker.

Immigration can have adults come into the US economy ready to work immediately. They can start to work, help the business, pay taxes, and eventually have children. This has worked for America over the last 80 years. It is not working now under Trump. This year, the total number of immigrants was fewer than 5,000, compared with the usual 1.2 million. He also sent some immigrants who had arrived several years ago back.

Call your senators and your congressman and tell them to support immigration.

What is the natural consequence of so many countries not being able to sustain their population?

All but one of the industrialized countries in the world have this problem. Sooner or later, other countries will conclude that immigration is the answer. When this happens, many countries will welcome immigrants. Countries will compete for immigrants. America should get immigrants now. They should now create an environment that is friendly to all types of people. America does not want to send signals that it is unfriendly to different types of people. We need to think ahead.

History has shown that immigration works. Statistics show that immigrants commit fewer crimes than the general population. They pay taxes. They help the industry. They invent new industries and invent things that help society. And YES, they help with the population decline.

Trump is doing the opposite of what we need.  Call your political representatives.

Immigration provides so many essential benefits. Trump and some politicians verbally abuse immigrants as if they were all the same. They act as if they were all negative. These statements are lies. These lies are harmful to our country. They hurt businesses like farming that need some of these immigrants. Colleges and Universities need some of these immigrants to teach and do research. Many immigrants are students at American colleges and universities. Some learn to like the US and immigrate, thus helping our population and economy. Hospitals need them as doctors, surgeons, and medical researchers. Pharmacy companies need them to help develop new medicines. Many other businesses need quality workers. The lists we provided of great immigrants are only partial. The benefits keep multiplying. They have children who continue helping. Consider how America would be now if none of the examples shown earlier had come to America. No Atomic Bombs, no computer chips, fewer advancements in electronics, no INTEL chips …

Our current President, who got into the University of Pennsylvania despite having his SAT scores be less than the national average, tells our citizens that immigrants are rapists, drug dealers, and despicable people. He does this for political reasons. He divides people and creates false fears. You can go on search engines and find that his remarks are wrong. Immigrants help. Hell, his current wife is an immigrant! His first wife was an immigrant! His grandfather was an immigrant!  I guess his rules are just for other people.

On the Statue of Liberty are the following words. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest- tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”  What noble words! Under Trump, we are replacing these words with a fence that gives the idea that “You are bad and unwanted. Go away.”

If you have read much of this section, you now know that immigration is not only good but essential. You can do something. You can talk to people. You can vote and encourage others to vote in the 2026 Midterm elections. Your votes can turn the House and/or the Senate to stop Trump’s negative behaviors and possibly reverse some of his negative actions. The solution to bad politicians is in the ballot box. VOTE!

This website is not asking for money. We just want to inform our citizens. We want them to vote. We exist because the news media are not giving this information. If we had read this, we would be concerned. We would check it out on various search engines – Google, Bing, Yahoo, Dogpile… The media should be screaming this information every week!

We need to contact our legislature. Immigrants are good.  Some illegal entries are also good. There is a difference between legal immigration and bad illegal entries. Immigration solves our population problem. Without it, our country will eventually collapse. Vote!  Contact your senators and congressmen.