A rogerian is a letter that takes the opposition's viewpoints into consideration and attempts to create a common ground. There is an attempt to solve conflict by providing solutions that do not jeopardize either side's main ideas.
The following letter addresses an article that describes the positive aspects of illegal immigration.
The following letter addresses an article that describes the positive aspects of illegal immigration.
Dear Adam Davidson,
My inquiry on the issue of illegal immigration on the United States economy led me to your article, “Do Illegal Immigrants Actually Hurt the U.S. Economy,” for the New York Times. With Donald Trump running for presidency and his radical plans on how to deal with illegal immigrants and the current issue of Syrians seeking refuge, I found it refreshing to come across an article that shines a positive light on the topic.
The points you made in your article illustrate the different ways illegal immigrants help the economy. Initially, you explain the tendency of these individuals to work for low pay and how businesses benefit as a result. By hiring illegal immigrants to do the same tasks as a legitimate worker, employers can yield the same product while lowering the expense of operation. You emphasized this point by providing an example of a boss that was able to cut costs by laying off his highly skilled workers and hiring several low-skilled illegal immigrants instead. I liked how you turned an otherwise negative situation into a positive one by looking at the bigger picture. You also mention the positive economic impact that is a result of the purchasing power of illegal immigrants. As you indicated with research, “Immigrants spend most of the money they make.” The sales tax from these purchases builds up and helps funds the government.
There are some common areas that we can agree on in this topic. I too find it important for businesses to do what they can to prosper. After all, why would someone not take advantage of opportunities to grow their business? The money saved from hiring illegal immigrants can go into the employer’s pocket or be invested into making more money. I also agree that these individuals do give back to society in ways similar to legal citizens.
Although there are major points we agree on, I find myself having less sympathy for illegal immigrants due to their stronger negative impact on the economy. I cannot help but to point out the two adverse effects of illegal immigrants working for lower pay: decrease in wage and displacement of co-workers. Current workers are forced to accept lower pay if they want to keep their jobs. To solve this issue, I think we should focus on your own point of investing in equipment to simplify tasks. I would also like to bring up the so called “purchasing power.” Although this concept looks good on paper, their tendency to spend most of what they make leaves them susceptible to sudden disasters. For example, if they lose their job, they will not have a lot of money to rely on without aid from others. Lastly, the fear of being caught leads illegal immigrants to seek under-the-table payments for their work. This money is not subject to taxation so they do not rightfully contribute to the economy through income taxes.
By reading your article, I have developed an understanding on this topic that strays from the negative filter that the media uses. We see eye to eye in some of the points but not in their overarching impacts. Although these points may be conflicting, in the end, we just want to have a reliable economy that can support as many Americans as possible.
Sincerely,
Akshay Anil