With the presidential election fast approaching, I have taken time to consider broad perspectives about the key issues at stake this year and the solutions each party offers. After living in America during President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s terms in office, and witnessing the consequences of their policies, I believe this election will be extremely important. Both parties have drastically different views and ways in which they run the country. Not only will the upcoming election change the fate of the United States, but with foreign conflicts brewing, will also affect the fate of the entire world. Although the Democratic Party is popular among many of my peers, I find that my views more closely align with those of the Republican Party.

Since 2020, when the Biden administration took office, inflation in the U.S. has hit an all-time high, and my working-class family has experienced its effects firsthand. Every time my six-person family shops for groceries, we spend at least $600, a number that continues to rise as shipping and production costs increase. Over the four years of the current Democratic administration, inflation is up 20%. This inflation rate is significantly higher than the rates were under either the Trump or Obama administrations.

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the U.S. economy made a remarkable comeback under Trump’s leadership, reaching its highest-ever GDP at the start of 2020. With inflation down and GDP up, not only my family, but every U.S. citizen was able to benefit from the low prices. Under Republican leadership, the economy thrived, allowing working-class families like mine to save money, afford what we needed, and still enjoy some of life’s luxuries. Simply put, life was better and more affordable under the Trump administration.

In addition to strong economic policies, Republicans prioritize national security and responsible immigration policies. Contrary to popular belief, Republicans support legal immigration and want to provide more opportunities for immigrants to enter the country legally. During the first three years of the Trump administration, an average of 1.08 million people received green cards each year. This is slightly more than the average of 1.06 million people who received green cards annually under the Obama administration. In 2022, under the Biden administration, 1.02 million people received green cards.

Yet, many Americans believe that immigration would decline under a Republican administration. This is because discussions often conflate legal and illegal immigration. Although the exact number is unknown, there have been nearly 10 million encounters of illegal immigrants at the U.S. border since the current administration took office. This does not include the nearly 2 million illegal immigrants that have evaded border patrol agents, known as “getaways.”

Allowing people to enter our borders outside of the law not only endangers Americans but also the immigrants themselves, as it creates a pathway for human trafficking and exploitation. Many families are separated and destroyed when they enter the country illegally. I believe the country benefits from immigration, but we cannot allow illegal immigration to continue. While many think that the Republicans would reduce the number of immigrants permitted to the country, I believe they would do a better job at enabling legal immigrants to receive the benefits of U.S. residency than the Democrats, while tackling the problem of illegal immigration.

My values are rooted in legality, respect, dignity, love, prosperity and togetherness. The Republican Party, by advocating for legal immigration and a strong economy, upholds these virtues. While the Democratic Party may be popular among those around me, I firmly believe that the Republican Party’s values and policies represent me as a 15-year-old American.

Roman Fonua is a sophomore at Kealakehe High School.