Illegal immigrants should automatically be disqualified from becoming citizens.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, there were 10.8 million illegal aliens living in the United States in 2009. Recently President Obama’s aunt, Zeituni Onyango, has been in the news because of her status as an illegal immigrant for ten years. In a recent interview she asserted, “If I come as an immigrant, you have the obligation to make me a citizen,’’ What Onyango is proposing is not only impossible but also immoral.

If the United States suddenly implemented a policy where all immigrants coming to our country would become citizens, our annual immigration rate would skyrocket by more than 500% in the first year. Onyango’s proposition would give equal preference to those who waited years to legally immigrate to the US and those who cross our borders without permission. Jeff Hsiao (10) says, “I don’t think illegal immigrants should automatically gain citizenship because they’re basically cutting in line of the people that are waiting legally for their citizenship.”

Although to some it may seem like going through the correct procedures to become a citizen are endless, over a million people go through it successfully each year. Grace Hwang (10) has gone through the immigration process first hand so when asked about the citizenship process’ difficulty she responded, “I would want it to stay the same because my mom speaks minimal english but she still passed the test with a little practice and effort.” All hopefuls wishing the be apart of our country should have to submit all necessary paperwork, not just walk across the border and be handed a social security card.

Although almost every person should have the opportunity to become a citizen of the United States, each individual must first comply with our laws set in place for them. Our country should never allow just anyone to enter our borders, and a policy should never be made that obligates us to hand over citizenship to anyone who seeks it.