Since the founding of America, immigration has played a role in the development of the country's history, culture and politics. Today, it is a highly continuous topic for Americans and remains one of the leading concerns for voters in the upcoming election.

Is immigration a key issue for registered voters at CMU?

A recent survey from the Pew Research Center shows that nearly 6 in 10 registered voters say immigration will play a major role in their decision at the polls on Election Day, Nov. 5. The topic is the second leading issue (82%) for supporters of former President Donald Trump.

In contrast, only 39% of Vice President Kamala Harris's supporters who were surveyed said it was a main concern.

Ammy Nguyen was born in Vietnam and immigrated to America at 4 years old. Now in her senior year at Central Michigan University, Nguyen says she will be thinking about her family and their journey to become U.S. citizens when she votes this November.

“My parents are immigrants, I immigrated here when I was four, so it's probably one of the bigger issues I’m touching on, especially with all the rhetoric that’s been going around,” Nguyen said. “That’s one thing that’s been really isolating and harmful towards immigrant communities.

"So that’s one thing I’m personally taking to the polls.”

Nguyen said that her father spent time as a refugee in Laos after the Vietnam War at 14 years old, and later emigrated to the United States. Nguyen said that she is disappointed in the country’s current immigration system.

“I have family that have been waiting almost 20 years to immigrate to America,” Nguyen said. “Once my father passed in 2021, their (relatives) paperwork wasn’t even allowed to transfer to my mom.

"So what we spent 18 years on was completely lost because she wasn’t considered family to them because there was no blood relation.”

Jordan Craighead is a senior at CMU and a fellow for One Michigan, a youth-led immigration organization. She said she has also been “disheartened by the rhetoric around immigration.” She said she feels like it is “dangerous” and “un-American.”

“I think it’s terrifying the way that some people choose to speak about immigration,” Craighead said. “I think it's our duty to make sure we are a country that does not subscribe to hate.”

Immigration continues to be a leading concern for voters, but some say that they are more focused on issues such as the economy, which is the leading issue (81% of voters) according to Pew.

Senior Madison Rioux said that the topic of immigration is important, but there are other issues she is more worried about as a voter.

“Just with me going into education and different things like that, I may have more focuses a little bit higher -- somewhere else -- but it's not discarded,” Rioux said.

When asked if immigration is a key issue for him as a voter, sophomore Matthew McLaughlin said he has his own opinions on immigration, but he's looking at other issues when he votes.

“Immigration is currently high but it's not a concern,” McLaughlin said.

America was built on immigration. Now what?

The Pew Research Center shows the U.S. is currently home to 46.1 million immigrants, nearly 14% of the U.S. population, and continues to be the leading country in immigration globally.

CMU Professor Alejandra Rengifo specializes in Caribbean, Colombian and Latino literature and culture. Raised in Cali, Colombia, and immigrating to the United States herself, she said that immigration has played a vital role in the nation’s history.

“We all know that this country was founded on immigration,” Rengifo said. “Especially (from) England, and later on the Irish and all other parts of the world.

“The 19th century and 20th century was a little bit of a change. ... (People) stopped coming from Europe but started coming from down south.”

She said that immigrants bring growth to the U.S. economy and contribute to a variety of fields in the workforce.

“I’m a professor and I’m here,” Rengifo said. “I can tell you about doctors who are Spanish-speaking and CEOs. … A huge chunk of the economy of the U.S. depends on migrant workers.”

In April, the Associated Press reported that immigrants helped close labor shortages and boost productivity by opening up small businesses or creating patents, fighting off a potential recession.

Rengifo said that immigration continues to contribute to the country’s education, history and culture.

“Immigration is a richness. Immigration is good not only because of the workforce but for the academia and artistry.”

CMU Professor Alejandra Rengifo

Where do presidential candidates stand on immigration?

Steven Alee, president of CMU's College Republicans, said Trump supporters are concerned about the increase in unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. since President Joe Biden took office.

“Immigration is a big concern for me and other Trump supporters because we are really concerned about the high number of illegal immigrants coming across the southern border,” Alee said. “We are concerned about all the other issues like that, such as the human trafficking, increase in fentanyl overdoses, increased crime rates that may cause and the strain it puts on our resources.”

Trump promised voters that he would conduct mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, using agencies such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and state and local authorities if elected, according to the Washington Post.

“When you look at Trump’s past, he was able to get illegal crossings down a lot more through increased security measures,” Alee explained. “I think he will take a similar approach as he did in his first term, which did bring down a lot of the illegal border crossings.”

During Trump’s presidency, the government had a strict “Zero Tolerance” policy, which allowed authorities to deport any adult who crossed the U.S. border illegally. In some cases, adults were deported back to their native country without their children, who were left in government custody.

In his debate with Harris on Sept. 10, Trump repeatedly claimed that crime has skyrocketed and that much is being caused by immigrants.

This past June, the FBI reported that crime has been decreasing over the past year, with data showing that violent crime rates dropped by 15.2% and murder rates by 26.4% compared to the first quarterly report of 2023.

According to USA Today, research suggests that immigrants commit significantly fewer crimes than people born in the U.S.

Harris, who is a second-generation immigrant, said during her debate with Trump that she supported the bi-partisan border bill, a bill that would have tightened asylum laws and allowed the president more power over border regulations. The Guardian reported that the bill was blocked by Senate Republicans in a 43-50 vote.

“I know that her campaign is focused on keeping families together and making sure that (they have) the dignity and the self-determination that they need to live a successful life,” Craighead said

In Michigan, voters can register to vote through Election Day. Registration can be completed online, by mail or in person at a local clerk's office. To check for registration and more information on how to vote, visit Michigan's website.