This week we are addressing immigration, among many other topics related to our increasingly diverse nation. While it is true that the United States is a nation of immigrants (if we continue to ignore the history of Native Americans), it is also true that our history of immigration policy has changed dramatically over time. For a look into numerous angles on immigration in general you can look here. Recently the so called "gang of eight," a bipartisan group of senators have proposed the most far reaching immigration reform that the United States has seen in nearly 30 years. While it is far reaching, the most noteworthy aspect of the proposed bill (for now) is its proposed path to citizenship for the 11 - 12 million undocumented immigrants living in America. This path to citizenship is confusing to many, and controversial to put it mildly. A good updated list of google news on the subject can be found here. After reading about the proposed legislation and arguments for it and against it please start a discussion based on the following prompts:
- In general do you think that our current immigration policy is effective? Should we loosen our restrictions on new immigrations entering America, make it more difficult for new immigrants to enter, or keep the current policy?
- What do you think about the current proposed legislation, including the path to citizenship for current undocumented immigrants? Support or oppose and why?
Every system can be improved. Never will a single solution cover all situations and/or make everyone happy. While I think our current immigration poliy could be improved in order to encompass unique situations I think the current policy is pretty stable.
ReplyDeleteMany of the problems with immigration that are now being brought to attention were caused because of illegal action. Even if the current policy does not SEEM fair (since it is opinion...) does not mean it should be neglected but instead challenged legally.
I believe in fairness. I feel that undocumented persons should be able to gain citizenship through the correct legal mean (as if they were legally coming to America). However until that citizenship or attainment of a green-card I do not believe they should have the same legal rights as a natural born citizen or someone who went through the right channels to be in America. By allowing illegal immigrants to have the same rights gives no incentive to go through the current legal process.
With that said the current proposal, which if I read correctly, is far too slow moving which gives undocumented persons no incentive to want to become a citizen. To be honest, many of these problems would not be problems if our government followed their own policies.
From the Department of Homeland Security: 1.06 million immigrants came into the US legally in the year 2012. 55% of those coming into the US legally were granted the "permanent resident status" which allows them to stay permanently and to ultimately seek legal US citizenship. I could not find a documented number for the figure of those entering illegally into the US for 2012. However, there is an estimated total 11.2 million undocumented immigrants in the US today. If you compare the two figures it suggets that 10% of those coming into the US as immigrants are coming legally. The ideal goal would be to seek 100% compliance and get all immigrants coming into the US a legal status. This would be bringing the bigger question into the light of why so many choose to enter illegally verses legally. Lastly, I would strongly advise against issuing citizenship or any legal status for the immigrants already here without careful review. Although the vast majority are probably harmless and hard-working, we cannot lump sum every undocumented immigrant into a pre-determined "safe to stay" category. Every case must be somehow evaluated and examined by the immigration system and courts to clear the undocumented immigrants safe to be here.
ReplyDelete1. In general do you think that our current immigration policy is effective? Should we loosen our restrictions on new immigrations entering America, make it more difficult for new immigrants to enter, or keep the current policy?
ReplyDeleteI think that our current immigration policy is effective in that it’s a middle ground between all of these proposed changes to the system. I think that we need to remove all of these visa backlogs, which are going to effect the way we bring new citizens into our country regardless of which direction we take our immigration policy in. I think there are two sides of the argument when you talk about reducing or expanding our immigration policy. On one hand, we want to make a system that would encourage people to actually go through our system rather than just illegally enter the country, at the same time, there need to be limits on how many immigrants can become citizens and make sure that becoming a citizen is something that requires some work and effort so that being a citizen of the united states of America still means something. So in terms of which direction we should take our immigration policy, I think that currently, until we can propose something that people on both sides can agree on, I don’t see any reason for a major immigration reform at this time.
2. What do you think about the current proposed legislation, including the path to citizenship for current undocumented immigrants? Support or oppose and why?
I think that when you look at this policy that is being proposed by the “gang of eight,” it looks impossible. Your talking about at least 10 years before you could even apply for a green card. Then another 3-5 years until you could become naturalized as a citizen of the United States. It seems to me that this will discourage most of the immigrant population and they will find ways to circumnavigate the system. For this reason I don’t think this is the right direction because we want to propose a system that will encourage illegal immigrants to become a part of this country legally. For this reason alone, I oppose this proposed reform of the immigration system. Another reason I oppose this bill is the same reason Angelica Salas opposes it, “since the end of slavery we have not created a second class of Americans…and we should not start now.”
In response to the first question, although I admittedly don't think I have a completely clear picture of the legal structure surrounding the immigration process, but it seems clear that a problem is present given the fact that so many individuals are in the U.S. outside of the legal process and there is such a backlog of people waiting to receive visas. I don't think the answer is to make it more difficult for people to enter the United States. That's extremely expensive, not necessarily effective, and creates a lot of potential for violent confrontation. I like the effort in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 we read about that placed stiffer penalties for employers employing immigrants who arrived in the U.S. illegally.
ReplyDeleteIn response to question 2, I would support the idea of a pathway to citizenship, although I don't know if I would support the long waiting period. I would probably be more in favor of a shorter waiting period. Some of the articles also mentioned that there would be extra fines and penalties for immigrants who had entered illegally, and I think that although I would sympathize with many immigrants' reasoning for breaking U.S. law, it still is on the books and like other acts against current laws need to have consequences so as not to create a moral hazard. I don't think those fines should have to be paid prior to becoming a citizen, though. I think there's a general assumption that people would want to become citizens because it would help improve their life situation. I think I would argue more in favor of a fee system modeled after the way student loans are often set up. Set up a fee system that is not so overwhelming as to outweigh the benefits of gaining citizenship, but then allow the new citizen to work on improving his/her situation for X amount of time before having to pay those fees for previously breaking the law. What I'm trying to convey is a scheme where the fees are analogous to interest on student loans. The interest is not so prohibitive as to prevent someone from trying to get an education, and then that interest is not expected until after the graduate has had an opportunity to (hopefully) have the financial ability to pay that interest.
I think something that is important to remember is that immigration does not always mean the people immigrating in are undocumented. Having attended high school in Texas, often times immigration was blurred to a racist and belittling stance that those immigrating in are always "illegal" and coming from Mexico. While, granted, a large percentage of immigrants into the US are from the Latin American countries, to call people illegal is not only degrading - no human is illegal - but it is also taking a very narrow stance on the issue. My father wasn't a citizen up until a couple years ago, despite having lived in the US for over a decade before choosing to go through the process. Just because he was an immigrant does not mean he was wrong to take part in the American culture. That same thought, I believe, should be extended to all immigrants, whether they are here with proper documents or not. So, I think prior to tackling the issue of immigration reform, we must start by confronting the negative connotations regarding what an immigrant is. Only then can we expect the most positive and effective change in this nation with a just and ethical immigration policy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, to elaborate quickly, is it not highly ironic to accept a negative tone on the subject of immigration considering our nation was founded on immigrants and everyone so dearly loves to claim some part of their heritage is from another country? To take such pride in our heritage and then belittle those who are directly of that heritage is a bit hypocritical in my opinion. And I'm not saying that everyone takes a negative and un-accepting opinion on immigration - that just tends to be the most common perception, I feel like. And that is just not a justifiable attitude in my mind.
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DeleteI like immigration. Population is power, more people allow for people to harvest resources, consume goods, and perform services. I think that we should allow for as many people to come as it wants. That said I advise caution. Integrating millions of people is a strain on any system. I want to path of citizenship to makes sense. More so I think any immigration reform should help channel immigrants to job training/education services. But realistically by accepting everyone we are taking on mostly unskilled labor with little ties to the new community. I think that they are an asset but that integration is difficult.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of illegal immigration we need to close the door. Make the front door easier to get to but we need to close the back door. It is counter intuitive to integration, it encourages organized crime, and causes a strain on the unskilled labor already here by driving down wages of legal workers. I don't know the current procedures so I cannot comment on how to improve them but I think a stricter border control is important.
Before reading the current immigration policy, I was not aware of the intricate details and specifications of the process of becoming a legal immigrant in the United States. The limitation of visas given to refugees seems very anti-American to me. People that are desperate to get out of hostile situations are not mere numbers that can be computed by statistical data just to "fit" a quota, and should not be limited.
ReplyDeleteThe insufficiency of our current immigration policy is apparent in the number of visas backlogged as well as the percentage of undocumented immigrants residing in the country. I believe the guidelines for becoming a legal immigrant should be reformed to reduce the influx of undocumented immigrants. If certain changes occur in the guidelines for immigration and citizenship, current undocumented immigrants should be encouraged to apply for visas and even citizenship. Although this might increase the backlog for visas, these individuals should have the opportunity to be legally represented. Ideally, the waiting period for this should be short, but given the amount of people wanting to come to this country, we have to be realistic and understand the process of citizenship cannot occur in a day. The "gang of eight"'s proposal is not perfect, but it is focused in the right direction for implementing a more easy and fair process for immigration, even if it is time consuming.
I do believe we need to have a quicker and easier path to citizenship, especially for those who've been here for years and their families. Immigration is a major issue, because we must be able to maintain a safe border and secure our country, while still allowing for all people to experience the freedoms our country allows for. I think that we should be giving as many people as possible the opportunity to succeed, and a path to citizenship is the beginning. I think we have plenty of room, and our businesses (if they began to bring jobs back to America) have plenty of jobs for current citizens and prospective ones. I'd like to see the new legislation be quicker and more efficient in helping people gain citizenship.
ReplyDeleteOur current immigration policy is not perfect but its not all bad, it takes into account social and economical stability. America needs a steady flow of immigrants. If we loosen restriction then theirs a potential for abuse and lax in security, But if we restrict it then that steady stream of immigrants will decrees which will cause a shortage in human capital. The argument that illegal immigrants come here to steal our jobs is ridicules. Some of the jobs illegal immigrants take no American would consider, try picking produces for minimum wage in 100+ degree heat, and then make that argument. So there is a reason for naturalizing them. But if we naturalize them then they will also opt from low paying jobs like every other American and no one would be their doing the menial work. So there is a reason why we don’t see a mass deportation of immigrants and an (economical) interest in a continuing the cycle of restricting their ability to become legal citizens.
ReplyDeleteSecurity is something that needs to be tackled; you cannot say ok lets make the people who came illegally, citizens. Without facing a consequence of setting a dangerous precedent. If I can come to America illegally, then become a citizen; it beats applying for citizenship in another country and waiting like everyone else. If you naturalize illegals it’s politically sensible to also build a fence on the border to restrict criminal organizations from abusing that loophole.
Maybe different categories of visas can be a solution; I mean the h2b visa is extremely important to American growth, so obtaining visas for menial or skilled work should also be made easier.
Our current immigration system makes it too difficult for people to legally immigrate here. Immigration is good for our country because it is a boost to our economy. Our country was built on immigrants, and immigration has driven the economy for years. While we need to make it easier for immigrants to come to America, at the same time we need to secure the border to ensure that nobody else can cross illegally. The millions of people that have crossed the border illegally could be a security risk, because we have no idea who they are and can not keep track of them. I support a path to citizenship for some of the illegal immigrants, but any that have committed crimes (other than entering illegally) should be deported. It is not fair for immigrants who have waited patiently for years and not broken the law to have illegal immigrants jump the line, that is rewarding illegal behavior.
ReplyDeleteThe trend seems to already be developing, and I'm going to jump on the bandwagon and agree that our immigration policy needs work. Overall, I'm pretty apathetic to the immigration issue. I can see validity from both sides as long as they are argued well. The problem I have is when latent racism is used to justify cracking down on immigration. This country would be in a very bad place if it weren't for immigrants and people who are willing to take the jobs that are low in pay and prestige. I think it always is important to remember that the United States is a land of immigrants-- that's what makes us American.
ReplyDeleteThe path to citizenship is something I feel strongly about. The government has done nothing about undocumented immigrants mainly because they are easily exploited. They pay taxes on their work, but they aren't qualified to receive a tax refund-- this allows the government to profit off of illegals. A person who has spent their time working for their very hard earned money in this country should be able to call themselves an American citizen.
I do not believe that our current immigration system is as effective as it should be. I believe that because we make these people from other countries, who just want to be able to call this country home and the majority of which would be outstanding American citizens and the pros of letting them in absolutely outweigh the cons, provided they go through the proper channels and can pass their background checks. I believe that security is the problem that needs to be stricter while the amount of people we let in should rise. If the government could just find a way to expedite the process and make it easier I believe that the country would benefit.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the people who are already here and have been for a while, I believe that a fast track path to citizenship is the only way to go. Over 11 million people are here undocumented and that is way to high of a number to just ignore and make them go over hurdle after hurdle so that they can feel as if they really do belong here and are a real part of the population. The government in my eyes sometimes forgets that these are human beings who just want to be Americans and have risked a lot and sacrificed for a large chunk of their lives for the chance to make that a reality. We should be flattered by this and not put off by it. If people really want to be citizens here and are willing to complete the necessary paperwork and steps to do so in an expedited process, then we should be happy with the results.
I believe the United States should adopt new immigration policies that are more inclusive to immigrants exhibiting diligence, morality, and respect for our nation. Immigrants crossing the border are an inevitable reality. As a nation, we are capable of reducing the influx of illegal immigrants. However, the feasibility of completely eliminating illegal immigration is slim. Instead of allocating significant portions of our nation’s budget on stopping illegal immigration, the United States should adopt more inclusive policies and paths to citizenship. In order for illegal immigrants to gain full citizenship through the DREAM act they must graduate high school, and go on to pursue further higher education or military endeavors. I agree with this stipulation as it provides an incentive for illegal immigrants to pursue education and social mobility. Higher education is tantamount to acquiring a quality profession, and reduces the likelihood of one to rely on the nation for subsistence. A common concern of inclusive immigration policies during our current financial crisis and sequestration is the burden the new immigrants will place on our welfare programs due to their low class and incomes.
ReplyDeleteImmigration is a difficult subject to tackle. I believe that if any person, no matter where they are from or where they were born, wants to be an American citizen, they should have that opportunity. At the same time, I feel we should not have an open door policy. The United States cannot let just anyone in, for security reasons and for population control. Population may not be a concern now, but if we accepted an open door policy it may be too difficult to stop the flow of bodies into this country. Those who want to become an American citizen should be have to wait a set period of years. During this time they should be allowed to live here legally and observed. We need to make sure they are not inclined to criminal activities or any other illegal behaviors. During this observation they should also have to take an American civics class and test.
ReplyDeleteThe new bill proposed looks promising and is needed. With the amount of illegal or undocumented citizens in the United States, this can be a chance for them to gain the citizenship they want. We need to give greater opportunities for these people to become citizens or at least legal residents of this nation.
I think it is obvious that our current immigration policies are not effective when we have 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. With over a million mexicans approved for green cards and less than 50,000 available visas, there is clearly some disparity. I do believe that there needs to be restrictions on immigration, we cant return to pre 1890s open immigration. It simply is not viable in this day and age. But there needs to be a change because people are getting in to the US legally or not and I do believe if policy allowed them to enter legally they would much prefer that path.
ReplyDeleteI think our current immigration policies are generally ineffective. America was founded on immigration and i believe that if someone wants to become a citizen then we should not restrict them that privilege. With that being said we should be a little more restrictive on our policies as to not threaten security.
ReplyDeleteI think the new bill looks like a good start to immigration reform. With all the undocumented citizens now it provides a way in which they can gain legitimacy.
I do not think that our current immigration system is effective at all. In my opinion, it is a stretch to say there is a system at all. Putting more armed people and creating plans for huge fences and walls at the border can hardly be called a system. Chasing people through the country to deport them back to their country of origin is again...not a very good system. Making it so difficult to become a citizen does not encourage people to come in the legal manner, and the process would become even more bogged down if every one of those people tried to. I would say that terms should be loosened, but not eliminated. As it is now, however, nothing is being accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI support the creation of a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the country. They are here and do contribute to our society. Much of the United States economy has been built with these undocumented people in the mix. Corporations hire these undocumented workers at less than minimum wage, taking away minimum wage and above jobs from those who are documented. Corporations and their practices are really the ones to blame for immigration problems in the U.S.
I agree wholeheartedly with James. While it is important to decrease the number of illegal immigrants coming into America, it must also be made more feasible for those who will contribute to our society to become citizens. The path to citizenship is a hard road which many desperate immigrants are not up to taking. Immigration policy is tricky. Whose right is it to judge whether or not someone DESERVES to be a citizen. Of course they are things like criminal records which weed out those who might make trouble instead of contribute to America, but if someone has made a few mistakes, they should not be penalized with a ridiculous path to citizenship. Immigration policies and laws are things that must run on compromise. They must be both exclusive and inclusive. They must meet the needs of the people and the economy. They must be fair but selective. This is why I believe nothing effective has happened. Borders obviously cannot just open up for everyone to come in and join the party. However, we must make a conscious effort to give more people a chance to be a part of America. Immigration legislation is a two-way street.
ReplyDeleteI think our current immigration system has many flaws. The fact that we have 11 million illegal immigrants in this country speaks for itself. With that being said I think we need to reform our path to citizenship and have stricter policies for becoming a U.S. citizen; to protect our national security. I think we should decrease the percentage of immigrants that can come to America and earn citizenship, substantially. I think if we continue on the path we're on, America will become overpopulated. I think the current immigration bill offering a new pathway to citizenship is great. I think it offers immigrants a comprehensive path to become a U.S. citizen. I think this new bill will decrease the number of undocumented people in the U.S. over time.
ReplyDeleteI don't think our immigration policy is necessarily ineffective. What the problem is, in my opinion, is the impatience of prospective immigrants. True, the annual numerical restrictions for immigration are seemingly minute, but in aggregate (family-based, permanent employment, refugee/asylum) it amounts to approximately 750,000 persons annually. That's a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt's not fair to patient, law-abiding prospective immigrants if the de facto policy is to grant amnesty to all or most illegal immigrants eventually. If amnesty is granted in immigration reform, it will not be the first time. The first illegal immigrant amnesty was granted in the 1970s for approximately 2-3 million illegal immigrants. I think the reality is that if illegal immigrants are granted amnesty (citizenship or permanent residence) every few decades, there will be no solid disincentive for people coming here illegally; if they can bring or have kids here, marry into a family of citizens or permanent residents or stay here long enough, they just need to wait long enough for the next amnesty period.
Let's not forget, these people - regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, creed, sexual orientation, gender, etc. - are or have made a conscious decision to ignore, to break the laws of our country for their benefit or the benefit of their family, friends, community, what have you. They're absolutely not in the same category as murders, drug dealers, burglars or thieves, but they are breaking the laws of the United States.
In a perfect world, anyone and everyone who wished to be an American, or wished to live and work in the United States (two very different classifications) would be able and allowed to. But, unfortunately, reality does not permit and never will. As the late, great John F. Kennedy stated, "I'm an idealist without illusions."
With that said, it's unrealistic to call for the deportation of 10-11 million illegal residents. Some should be allowed to apply for citizenship, some for permanent residence, some for green cards, and some should deported. The qualifications and ratios for each category should be debated and compromised on.
The current immigration system is not the best, but it is put into place because it is what Congress agreed and voted on, therefore, seems like the best option. There are so many people still coming into this country and there just seems to be an indecisive role in immigration authorities. Some believe they are there to serve for national security, but they should be working more towards the people who deserve it the most to be able to come in. Immigrants should also be fully aware of how long the process will take to be granted citizenship.
ReplyDeleteComing to America should not be an escape in hopes of starting over. People from all over the world who have come here without the intention of being law abiding, positive, cohabitants/citizens have been the ones who cause the negative discussions concerning immigration. There has become a divide, “us” and “them” which has made immigration such an on going issue.
Another issue is the division between national laws and state legislature. Arizona passed their controversial legislature, which received international attention due to its anti-illegal immigrant procedures were so questionable. I commend those states that are now giving temporary licenses to those who are still waiting on citizenship. This creates less of a divide between “us” and “them.” Before someone was an undocumented person but now they are able to drive and are classified under waiting for citizenship.
The more anti-illegal immigration laws are passed, the bigger the problem is going to become and there will be need for revision in 10 years if not sooner. The goal should be to promote legal immigration with the knowledge of how long it will take.
The current stance on Immigration in the United States has been widely exploitative, and has been since the Braceros program. Currently, since the enacting of the North American Free Trade Agreement (aka NAFTA) the movement of jobs and commodities has been readily available for corporations and large industry, however the movement of labor forces has not. As such, with the rapid movement and off shoring of labor positions or inability for high wage labor positions the economic incentive for inter country immigration has increased, and yet mobility of citizenship remains minimal at best. Due to inadequate regulation of labor standards and unequal wage differences along countries even within the same continent the benefits remain ever so high for private interest to maintain the difficultly of inter-country movement, and for this along with several other reasons I fully support complete amnesty for all illegals, as well as the minimization of difficulty involved with the green card process. Ultimately this would ensure that organized labor cannot be so easily outsourced, and would allow labor forces to move with the movement of jobs, as opposed to being locked within one region.
ReplyDeleteI think, although the goals behind Immigration services are excellent and the priorities they give to families are amazing, the actual implementation of the process is really much more difficult than it needs to be. Speaking as a spouse of a foreigner trying to get permanent resident status is no walk in the park. It is greatly prejudice based on income and wealth and the fees, including lawyer fees, can get enormously expensive. I would love to see some reforms in the process so that we can get families that are often separated for years because of the length of the Immigration process to be able to stay with each other it would make a lot of sense for humanitarian purposes, as well as reduce the cost for this process. Although it makes some sense for the government to charge a lot of money because this process takes a lot of government work and is a service that is really worth while, the main issue is that the more money you are willing to spend on a lawyer, the easier the process will be for you. Also, if you don't make a lot of money, you and your spouse are viewed as dependent on the system and won't be as likely to get immigration status. It's a really difficult process that can take so much time and is really emotionally consuming. I think that reform doesn't mean sacrificing security, I think it just means investing more money into that area, and being very smart about legislation. These kinds of processes can be loaded with red tape and really frustrating for families that simply want to be together
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/01/180413665/poll-most-african-americans-support-immigration-reform
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