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EssayFor every course of action that unrivalled takes in life, in that location is a cost associated. This cost may be large or small but one can weigh this cost with the alternative onward he or she makes whatsoever decision. In the essay, The Price of Crossing Borders written by Eduardo ostiarius, the concept of understanding that there is a price for everything is conveyed. There is no decision that is made or path that is taken that comes without some sort of cost to us personally. An alternate title of Porters article, The Cost of The Decisions We take shape, responds to his views on this idea. He tries to persuade his audience that by evaluating opportunity be, we organize our lives (p. 325).In the essay, Porter used an illegal immigrant from Stockton, California as an example to garter understand opportunity costs. The immigrant must make a choice on how he is going to get his children across the Mexico border into the United States. Porter stated, The conferenc e laid in stark relief the type of bare-knuckle cost-benefit analyses that steer peoples lives (p. 326). By this statement, Porter referred to the decision of how the immigrant will transport his children and the costs that it will entail. While the more expensive choice is safer, saving the money will take some clock time. The cheaper alternative, however, puts his children in danger and the possible risk of not making it safe or alive to the United States. Porter said, The cost of taking any action or embracing any path consists of the alternatives that were available to us at the time (p. 325). The illegal immigrant must weigh his opportunity cost of each path before making the important decision regarding his childrens lives. The debate on illegal immigration in the United States is well known and people have very strong views on it. While one extreme thinks the borders should be closed off all together and all immigrants sent back to their field, the opposing view feels we w ere all immigrants at one time and everyone deserves a chance at starting a new life in this country. Porter alluded that most peoples arguments against illegal immigrants in this country are fairly weak. He disagreed with those that argue illegal immigrants pose a burden due to the services they consume such as health care, aliment stamps, or lower the working wages for American workers. He stated, most immigrants work on the books using false IDs, and have taxes withheld from their paycheck like any another(prenominal) worker. They cant draw benefits from most government programs (p. 327). Basically without the proper legal documentation, illegal immigrants cannot collect welfare, food stamps, unemployment, etc. He also said, there is scant evidence that immigrants lower the wages of American workers (p. 327). Since most illegal immigrants work jobs that many Americans deem undesirable, they are really primarily competing against other poor illegal immigrants. If anything, ille gal immigrants actually help many companies thrive or even exist. Without these immigrants, Californias agricultural industry would be lacking and many of the goods it produces would be imported.Everything affects prices in the United States. Porter declareed that illegal immigrants affect prices but not in a negative manner. With a higher bend of immigrants, some jobs such as gardening and housekeeping have actually seen a decrease in the average price of services. Though many politicians claim to be reforming immigration laws, Porter stated little will be done soon. Illegal immigrants provide cheap labor to many of this countrys thriving businesses. While the United States will probably not make it any easier for illegal immigrants to enter the country, they will also not completely do away with them either due to the enormous cost. In the end, all illegal immigrants must weigh the cost of their decision to enter this country against the cost of staying in their own. Is the cos t of risking their life and their families life worth the chance at a minimum wage job and the chance for prosperity in the United States? Porter felt that based on the historical trend, many immigrants will continue to choose the more dangerous path for a chance at the American dream.