Immigrants support the American economy

Reference alert! Read Willa Cather's classic essay:

Nebraska for more perspective about this echo opinion.

Echo letter to The Grand Island Independent, from Guillermo Peña, Grand Island, Nebraska

Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, in New York Harbor

You must understand that immigrants have made the American economy and continue to do so. 

We who are descendants of immigrants make the economy and are the heart and soul of the economy.

We continue to hear statements that immigrants are less and that we are not worthy of the pay. No matter if we come from the Philippines, Laos, Sudan, Somali, Italy and especially Latin America, we make up blue-collar workers.

We immigrants continue to work the chains of agriculture.

It is only fair that immigration laws help immigrants to integrate and become part of the good life. The laws should also make sure that everyone is accounted for and that the state and federal governments are getting their fair share of taxes even though, as of now, we immigrants don’t count. We contribute to one of the highest income brackets for the state of Nebraska and the federal government even though we continue being undocumented. 

Undocumented individuals are shunned, we are told we are less than — we are not. We have political power and we have voting power.

It is time to recognize that people in Grand Island, Nebraska have changed their views — and will continue to change — that the immigrants are a working force and a major drive in the heart and soul of Hall County. We continue to push the economy even with cut and bruised hands. It’s the Latinos, Sudanese, Somalians and Laotian/Vietnamese who continue to be the driving force in the Heartland. Moreover, I will continue to remind people about who puts that steak at your table — it’s my parents. If that doesn’t scream blue collar and family, I don’t know what does.

Let’s never forget our Native brothers in Nebraska and our decedent brothers from Germany, who founded this town Grand Island and the state of Nebraska with equality before the law.