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Stephanie Perdomo
Professor Batty
English 28
21 November 2016
#StillWithHer:
An Argumentative Essay on Why the United States of America Voted for the Wrong President
The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of
good government. - Thomas Jefferson
For centuries, the United States has prided itself on its notion of for the people by the
people. In the case of the 2016 election, the people had the chance to make incredible history
for the third presidential term in a row. Clinton's immigration reform policies were efficient
because she acknowledged the way in which we were handling immigration in the United States
was not efficient because we were treating innocent people like criminals instead of welcoming
them into the country. Her policies were also the most humane because of how she states we
should treat immigrants- like innocent people looking for a better life rather than criminals
looking to terrorize a country. Her policies were progressive because they are not looking to take
anything away from the people but rather add something to the way the United States welcomes
immigrants. Although people might say that her policies are too liberal, Hillary Clinton should
have been elected the 45th president of the United States because her immigration reform
policies were the most efficient, the most humane and the most progressive.
Hillary Clintons policies were the most efficient because she believes in promoting
immigrant integration because it will allow a mass amount of immigrants to better assimilate to
American society. She would have promoted fee waivers that offer help to the poorer immigrants
seeking naturalization and citizenship but cannot afford to become legal citizens. This would

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have been so useful for the greater majority of immigrants who wish to become citizens.
However under president-elect Trumps America, who knows how those who arent rich and
white will survive. President-elect Donald Trump has not stated that he would help immigrants
better their chances at assimilating to American society, nor has he stated that he would help
waive any fees that are necessary for citizenship for anyone who needs it.
This policy can be connected to author Sonia Nazarios novel Enriques Journey because
if illegal immigrants were all granted the opportunity to safely and easily become citizens it
would reduce the risk of them being sent to prison unjustly. When immigrants get sent to prison
they are not given the opportunity to get GED classes or other government help that will
ultimately allow them to become citizens County inmates are offered GED classes and
Alcoholics Anonymous sessions. Immigrants are not. A cart arrives but Enrique sees only books
in English, Russian, and French (Nazario 260). When the protagonist Enrique is imprisoned, he
is not offered such help simply because he was an immigrant. Under a Clinton administration,
she would have ensured that any and all people detained in a prison or detention center were
allowed the access to resources such as GED material and other help.
Hillary Clintons policies were the most humane because she argued that we should use
our government resources to help the immigrants seeking asylum and only incarcerate those who
pose a real and dangerous threat to the safety of the public. This would have helped the overall
treatment that immigrants are given because they will be less likely to be unjustly incarcerated
and thus will not be villainized in society.
Hillary was the more humane choice in candidate because she acknowledged that the
private detention centers are inhumane and are more likely to mistreat their prisoners. Clinton
had a plan to end family detention centers and close private immigration detention centers. This

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is important because under the private immigration detention centers those running it are allowed
to do nearly anything they want because they are not being regulated. Under federal watch, the
prisons are regulated, albeit not completely just and fair, but at least regulated. Private detention
centers are the perfect safe zone for people who want to take advantage of immigrants and abuse
them in any way they see fit. The mistreatment of immigrants is graphically illustrated in Sonia
Nazarios novel Enriques Journey because when Enrique was thrown in jail and the prison was
overcrowded and not given enough resources. Because the prison was a detention center they
were not allotted the same rights that prisoners in federal correction centers are given. The US
government was arresting immigrants for any reason they could, just to keep them in detention
centers rather than out in the country where they were depleting resources and bringing
crime, as president-elect Trump would say.
As the federal program was adopted by thousands of police departments,
deportations increased 40 percent between 2006 and 2011, a year when the United
States deported more than 400,000 immigrants nationwide. During those same
five years, Florida nearly doubled the number of undocumented immigrants it had
in its jails any given night. (Nazario 259).
Hillary Clintons immigration reform policies were the more progressive option in
comparison to her opponent Donald Trumps. Clinton stated that within her first 100 days of her
presidency she was aiming to introduce a comprehensive immigration reform. In introducing
more comprehensive reform policies, Hillary planned to fix the visa backlog as well as bring
millions of hardworking immigrants into the formal economy of the United States. Revisiting the
visa backlog is important because it is making sure that the people who have filed for a visa are
granted one and are not being kept from being with their families for any longer than need be.

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Hillary argued that families, regardless of their immigration status, should be given the
opportunity to buy into affordable health care. This is so incredibly important because it is a
progressive step forward because we are acknowledging immigrants as people and allowing
everyone in the United States to have affordable health care, thus validating their lives because
preventative care is just as important as aftercare. In so many instances immigrants will not go to
a doctor until they absolutely have to, unfortunately many times it is too late.
I believe in an America where everyone is treated with dignity, no matter who
you are or where you come from. And where undocumented children who have
been here their whole lives and feel like Americans and are treated like
Americans. And where families are not ripped apart, but are treated humanely and
respectfully. I believe in an America that is strong, secure, and true to our values.
(Clinton)
The United States of America has quickly become the country of mockery around the
world. It is shocking that the president of the most powerful country in the world is a bigot, a
homophobe, a racist, a xenophobe, and the list goes on. Unfortunately this is our reality and we
must come to terms with how we are going to proceed to the next four years. However, we do
not have to go through this in silence. Now more than ever it is important to stand united and
build a community to be there for those who cannot stand up for themselves and use whatever
privilege we have to fight for those who cannot. In lieu of our new presidency, we are faced with
the opportunity to prove to ourselves and our country just how united we stand and create a
revolution in whatever way we see fit; peaceful protesting, political satirical art, boycotting, etc.
Hillary Rodham Clinton should have been the 45th president of the United States of America
because her policies were more progressive, humane, and efficient.

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Works Cited
"Hillary Clinton on Immigration Reform." Immigration Reform. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
Nazario, Sonia. Enrique's Journey. New York: Random House, 2006. Print.

Valverde, Miriam. "Compare the Candidates: Clinton vs. Trump on Immigration." PolitiFact.
Tampa Bay Times, 15 July 2016. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

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