Sanctuary cities have been a huge talking point since Donald Trump has been in office.

President Trump signed an executive order that would cut federal funding from sanctuary cities. The recent vote by Chico to not become a sanctuary city sparked protests at the Chico City Plaza.

We should not be promoting this idea that illegal immigration is good for the United States and we shouldn’t be providing benefits to those who are here illegally. The U.S. has done a great job in advocating for both of these things.

Illegal immigrants can buy homes, open bank accounts, can go to public universities through the DREAM Act and can work here while undocumented. If an immigrant is not willing to go through the process legally, then the person should be deported.

The biggest point to be made here is the fact that sanctuary cities would not be following the laws of the United States. There would be a lack of order and this influx of illegal immigration will continue. Canada and Mexico deport illegal immigrants from their own countries. The United States should be able to do the same action without receiving the criticism that it does.

Illegal immigrants are the first to criticize the United States on its policies towards immigration but never criticize themselves. Arguments like “we were here first,” or “we came for a better life” aren’t sound arguments.

Vast numbers of people who are here in the U.S. illegally aren’t coming here with extreme poverty. I grew in NorthEast Los Angeles, I’ve heard many stories. A lot of these families are coming here to earn money and to send it back to their families in Mexico.

They aren’t here because they were forced to, more than they just saw an opportunity to make more money and took it. There is nothing wrong with this unless it is done illegally. These stories about how immigrants have come from extreme poverty are being used to guilt trip people into being more lenient about immigration.

Forget the history of this country. It’s not a history that I agree with, but it’s reality now. I appreciate the laws that maintain the quality of living in the United States.

Wanting to enforce immigration laws isn’t racist or xenophobic.

Despite popular belief, there is also no indication that Americans won’t go out to the fields and work, according to a study by the Center of Immigration Studies. This idea that there will be nobody to work in the fields if illegal immigrants are deported is not backed up by anything. Americans will do anything for work.

Illegal immigration costs American taxpayers roughly about $85 to 113 billion a year, according to Politifact. It also brings in only $11.84 billion in tax revenue according to the institute of taxation of policy.

Revenue will only increase if the income made by illegal immigrants were taxed at the same rate and frequency as legal immigrants.

This financial burden that illegal immigration gives us would only continue to grow if we continue to promote these sanctuary cities.

I do believe that there should be a pathway for illegal immigrants and I did not agree with Trump’s original plan to deport every single one, a plan that he has now since retracted.

Borders have to be secured and properly staffed. Hard working illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to legal status. If you’re not willing to go through the system legally, then you should be deported.

There is no reason to believe that America has this negative stigma towards immigrants. There are millions of legal immigrants living in the U.S today. They won’t be deported. If they can go through the system, then so can anyone else.

Maintaining law and order is our main priority in this country and the continued effort to promote sanctuary cities diminishes our stability as a nation.

Roberto Fonseca can be reached at [email protected] or @TheOrion_News on Twitter.