Immigration is good for America

To the editor:

Thank you to The Gazette for featuring a detailed piece describing differences among the presidential candidates' positions on immigration and immigrants in the United States ('Candidates forming their immigration policies,” Nov. 16).

A basic point should be emphasized: immigration is good for America. Immigrants, as new Americans, make America stronger. They do not merely bring enticing food and music and dance to be enjoyed. Sometimes immigrants' inventions or their scientific discoveries or successes in business are celebrated, but that is also only part of the story. Immigrants bring diversity of experience and perspectives, of world views, of ways to think and solve problems. This is critically important in difficult or challenging times. Our nation needs all the resources it can garner to confront the complex problems before us at every level of society. Immigrants bring wisdom and cultural assets which, if added to our public discourse and culture, can only improve our overall tool kit for today's concerns.

We, the United States, can't afford to reject valuable resources. We should surely not be building a wall of brick, nor of punitive laws, but be welcoming new Americans for the love of our country, to make it stronger and better equipped for all that lies ahead.

Aileen Chang-Matus

Cedar Rapids