“These days, it feels like you're making a deal with the devil when [someone enters] this country. [They] hand over [their] passport at check-in... Who would want to stay?... In a place where [they] are never welcomed, only tolerated... As if [they] were animals finally house trained. " (Zadie Smith). This "covenant" that Smith talks about applies to all immigrants who enter the United States. Immigration has always existed in America. It exists all over the world. Who in America is actually “American”? Nobody really, with the exception of Native Americans. Everyone else came from somewhere in the world, but they had the chance to become Americans without tests and without jokes. They didn't have to prove their loyalty to this country and they didn't have to work all their lives and die without seeing their loved ones one last time. Illegal immigrants should be treated the same as “American” citizens; as loyal Americans. Most people in the United States look at immigrants and think they are bad people, immigrants should to be able to live here and not be misjudged, immigrants who cross have reasons for crossing, whether they are legal or illegal crossings, immigrants and their families are affected, and the economy is not severely affected. Immigrants from different parts of the world enter the United States, legally and illegally, because they have a reason. They are asked why they came to this country even though they have their own country and usually the reason is work even though they know that in this country they will be seen as beggars. They try their best to get a job and work for the rest of their lives while living in the United States. “Bernard Anderson said: “We must recognize that the enormous number [of undocumented people... among documents... do no harm to the United States by being here. Immigrants to the United States are not the problem when it comes to the economy and they have families too. People in the United States who are citizens can cross the Mexican border whenever they want and do not face consequences like immigrants do. Immigrants cannot cross borders otherwise they will face serious consequences such as going to prison and/or dying. Immigrants would be better citizens than citizens themselves. They work harder and only care about their own business. Citizens in the United States should stop judging immigrants based on their background and origins. Start judging them by their hard work and how they are treated by immigrants. Works Cited Brooks, Diane L. “Crossing the Borders.” Pebble. May/June 2013. October 28. Kenney, Karen Latchana. "Illegal immigration". Edina, MN: ABDO Pub., 2008. Print.