Everyone — whether we realize it or not — knows an immigrant. It could be the woman who served you drinks in the restaurant, the man who files your insurance claims, your child’s best friend in elementary school, a gardener or doctor who you pass on your way to work.

And all of us in the U.S. — with the exception of Indigenous peoples — come from families who were immigrants or forced migrants. Especially in Texas, when the first native peoples settled years before whites and the original borders were part of Mexico.

To be angry at immigrants is a scare tactic used by politicians to get elected. In sociology, it is called creating a climate of fear. It has been used by both sides. One day Republicans are saying that immigration is an act of love while the Democrats are deporting everyone in sight. The next day, Democrats are behind a nation of dreamers while the Republicans block reform that helps families.

Please be aware that both parties have and will use immigration as a tool to manipulate your natural fear of people who may seem different from you.

However, not only is this feeling manipulated by people in power, it simply is not rational.

I do not need to prove a person’s worth or value to you. If you have not heard by now that all people were created equal and deserve the same basic rights, then you need to find another country. However, I can make arguments from economic, linguistic, personal and moral viewpoints.

Economic Benefits

Multiple studies have shown that immigrant populations help with financial and economic growth. Conversely, other stories show the negative effects of what happens in U.S. communities when residents are scared to live and forced to flee with their families from immigration officials. It ends up negatively affecting the entire community. When I worked with LUCHA, a nonprofit in Virginia, we worked with city groups to facilitate relationships with immigrants. By creating better relationships, both groups were able to live and work safely together.

Linguistic/ Cultural/ Scientific Diversity

Having a diverse pool of languages, cultures, identities, states, topography and people is one of the things that has always made the United States great. For example, a neighborhood in Queens has more languages spoken and used than any other place in the world. This greatly aids new breakthroughs in multiple fields from medicine to science to sports. We welcome people from all over the world to join us, make discoveries and move forward together.

Historical Reasons 

As mentioned before, we are historically a nation of people looking for a better life. It’s the story of our country, it’s enshrined in our songs, in our statues, in our collective conscience and genetics. Research shows this has greatly aided positive growth.

Moral and Personal Reasons 

I am going to say this once. You cannot claim to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ and be anti-immigrant/ refugee/ asylum-seeker. It’s the basic premise of the stories of the Bible. Throughout the entire collection of books, people are forced to move from their homes, and God provides for them. Jesus Christ himself was a refugee as a child. Both Old and New Testament texts continually uphold the cause of the worker, the foreigner, widows and children fleeing persecution. It is part of the first and second greatest commandments: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Morally, Christian and Judaism are pro-immigrant. Islam and other religious traditions are also big on hospitality and welcoming others.

Personally, I’ve been an immigrant in two countries and had wonderful people come alongside me and help me know how to live. I’ve had friends who immigrated from at least 20 diverse countries in the U.S. who have treated me like a second family member. When I was a young intern alone in a new city in Texas, it was people from Somalia, Iraq, Mexico and Nepal who invited me to elaborate family dinners and fixed my car when it broke down. Even though I was the one who was meant to help immigrants adjust to life in my home country,  they were the ones who welcomed me.

Final thoughts

It is not enough to simply welcome people from other countries. We need to uphold their basic dignity. Immigrant workers are exploited. Children and families are separated. People are held in detention and cages. We use people as scapegoats and take advantage of them for profit. This has been done since the beginning of the United States. However, it is not based on the principles we say we were founded on. It is not based on a collective moral conscience or common economic sense. Immigrants and Indigenous peoples have always made America great, and at our country’s core, we are a nation of people arriving for a better life.