When Dr. Frost first told me that I had to write a blog, I freaked out because I didn’t have a topic in which to write. After I chose illegal immigration and I started to organize my thoughts, I felt very uneducated and ill-informed about any and all aspects of the United States’ immigration system. I knew that we have had problems controlling our southern border, but I had no clue that about 4 million illegal aliens are now living in America! Now that I know that millions of people are here without documentation, I am aware that this issue is quite critical for our government to address.
Since the start of my blog, I have done extensive research by reading many factual and opinionated articles. By doing lots of reading, I have been able to identify the two sides of this debate: amnesty or no amnesty. I still have the same opinion that I had when I started writing, but now I feel familiar with both opinions. Securing our border will dramatically decrease the amount of undocumented immigrants, but now I also know that making visas easier to obtain will also help to resolve the problem. Beforehand, I didn’t know that obtaining a visa was such a long process that contributes to the reason why many Mexicans move to America without paperwork. The two components (visas and securing the Texas-Mexico border) together will help prevent the United States’ finances, businesses, and health providers from being strained from illegal aliens. Also, I had never considered that granting amnesty could boost our economy. This idea had never crossed my mind until I was writing my theory post.
As this issue continues to unfold in the November elections, I am curious to see how President Obama, Congress, and the House solve or avoid the issue of illegal immigration. I will leave you with one final quote; Jon Kyl once said, “Illegal immigration is a genuinely national issue, and resolving it requires a national commitment not just on health care but also border control, law enforcement and other resources.”
Thank you so much for reading my blog! =)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
What will we do in the future, as Americans, to reduce illegal immigration?
I just read an article that gave me new perspective on illegal immigration. A reporter stated “The responsibility for illegal immigration lies on both sides of the border; in Mexico, the lack of jobs and poverty that forces the Mexicans to enter America seeking employment, and in the U.S. the illegal hiring of illegal immigrants that encourages illegal immigration.” (Illegal Immigration – The people suffer while politicians squabble) While we cannot blame Mexicans for coming to America, we need to take more responsibility for what our businesses do. Even though our businesses are employing illegal aliens, it isn’t just our fault! Mexico has a low per capita income of about $4,000; therefore people want to immigrate to the United States to make money. Either way, I am not here to determine whose fault this is, but I am here to say that both countries have responsibilities in order to improve this situation. When it comes down to it, we want to welcome Mexicans into our country, but we need to require everyone to become citizens before taking residency. Most importantly, we do not need to upset Mexico because they provide us with large amounts of oil, car parts and electronics that we wouldn’t have otherwise. (Mexico's exports to the United States)
An Angry American Citizen
Previously, I talked about the ideas of illegal immigration from the perspective of a Mexican citizen, and now I am going to give an opinion from an American.
To: U.S. Federal Government
It has been said that Mexicans are not just trying to live out the “American Dream,” but they are also trying to earn money to feed their starving families. (Illegal Immigration - The people suffer while politicians squabble) Mexican immigrants do need the money to support their families, but it is not right that they can come into this country and be employed by companies that would otherwise be hiring U.S. citizens. I live in southern Texas, I am the father of two children, and I am out of work. I really need a job, and I feel that there is so much job competition here in Texas because of the mass majorities of illegal immigrants. I do not want to sound rude or anything, but you should consider how the Americans are being affected by the lack of enforcement along our southern border. I am furious that little has been done in the past few years! There is unnecessary job competition in the southern states, and I believe you have the power to fix this. Please listen to my thoughts and consider making reforms to our immigration system. Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
An Angry and Frustrated American Citizen
To: U.S. Federal Government
It has been said that Mexicans are not just trying to live out the “American Dream,” but they are also trying to earn money to feed their starving families. (Illegal Immigration - The people suffer while politicians squabble) Mexican immigrants do need the money to support their families, but it is not right that they can come into this country and be employed by companies that would otherwise be hiring U.S. citizens. I live in southern Texas, I am the father of two children, and I am out of work. I really need a job, and I feel that there is so much job competition here in Texas because of the mass majorities of illegal immigrants. I do not want to sound rude or anything, but you should consider how the Americans are being affected by the lack of enforcement along our southern border. I am furious that little has been done in the past few years! There is unnecessary job competition in the southern states, and I believe you have the power to fix this. Please listen to my thoughts and consider making reforms to our immigration system. Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
An Angry and Frustrated American Citizen
Building a Fence. Is this the answer to our problem?
I have talked about the idea of building a wall along the southern border of the United States as a way to prevent immigrants from entering illegally. Homeland Security made a proposal to reinforce the border by establishing a security fence about 700 miles. This fence will cost between 4 and 8 billion dollars to construct with each mile costing about $100 million. “On December 14, 2005 Mexican President Vicente Fox denounced as "disgraceful and shameful" a proposal to build a high-tech wall on the US-Mexico border to stop illegal immigrants. Media reports that ‘Mexico is not going to bear, it is not going to permit, and it will not allow a stupid thing like this wall.’” (US-Mexico Border Fence / Great Wall of Mexico) Although we cannot upset the Mexican government, we need to stop illegal immigrants from entering America!
The construction of the fence has started since then and “On January 22, 2010, U.S. Customs and Border Protection had completed roughly 643.3 miles of fencing (344.8 miles of primary pedestrian fence and 298.5 miles of vehicle fence) along the Southwest Border.” Border Patrol catches about 1 in every 4 illegal aliens, but will this percentage increase with the construction of a fence? Although the fence is not guaranteed to stop illegal immigrants from entering, it would certainly help. It is going to cost a fortune, but do you think that its benefits will outweigh its cost?
The construction of the fence has started since then and “On January 22, 2010, U.S. Customs and Border Protection had completed roughly 643.3 miles of fencing (344.8 miles of primary pedestrian fence and 298.5 miles of vehicle fence) along the Southwest Border.” Border Patrol catches about 1 in every 4 illegal aliens, but will this percentage increase with the construction of a fence? Although the fence is not guaranteed to stop illegal immigrants from entering, it would certainly help. It is going to cost a fortune, but do you think that its benefits will outweigh its cost?
Monday, October 25, 2010
My Classmates' Blogs
What the War is Costing Us
I have really enjoyed reading this blog because I have always been curious about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I had never researched them. I like reading the way she doesn't discuss why we aren't in the Middle East, just the effects of the wars.
Healthcared - Carolina
This blog discusses health care reform, including the health care bill and President Obama's policies. Even though he has a conservative viewpoint of health care, he does an excellent job at giving unbiased posts. By reading this blog, I can really understand the positive and negative consequences that the Universal Health Care Bill will have on our country.
Energy
I have following this blog and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every one of the posts. Because I am curious about fossil fuels and creating alternative energy sources, I was pleased to read about this current issue. Although developing these other energy sources will be expensive, I agree that it is necessary to do so to avoid harming the environment and depleting all of our natural resources. While it will take years, our country should take a greener approach to energy like this blog suggests!
I have really enjoyed reading this blog because I have always been curious about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I had never researched them. I like reading the way she doesn't discuss why we aren't in the Middle East, just the effects of the wars.
Healthcared - Carolina
This blog discusses health care reform, including the health care bill and President Obama's policies. Even though he has a conservative viewpoint of health care, he does an excellent job at giving unbiased posts. By reading this blog, I can really understand the positive and negative consequences that the Universal Health Care Bill will have on our country.
Energy
I have following this blog and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every one of the posts. Because I am curious about fossil fuels and creating alternative energy sources, I was pleased to read about this current issue. Although developing these other energy sources will be expensive, I agree that it is necessary to do so to avoid harming the environment and depleting all of our natural resources. While it will take years, our country should take a greener approach to energy like this blog suggests!
Links Post
http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=16663&security=1601&news_iv_ctrl=1007
The Federal for North American Immigration Reform (FAIR) wants to end illegal immigration and this organization explains that illegal aliens are causing harm to America.
http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/illegal-immigration-from-mexico.html
This website gives background information about Mexicans who immigrate illegally.
http://www.theamericanresistance.com/ref/illegal_alien_numbers.html
The American Resistance writes an extensive article that gives accurate statistics about the numbers of illegal aliens in the United States and how those numbers are expected to grow.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-01-21-immigrant-healthcare_N.htm
USA Today explains how illegal immigration is affecting health care costs and taxes.
http://www.cis.org/IllegalImmigration-ShiftingTide
The Center for Immigration Studies gives a very descriptive article that explains how and why the illegal immigration population is changing.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/92510/archives/2010/01/09/study-says-granting-amnesty-to-illegal-immigrants-would-boost-economy
The article gives reasons to why amnesty for illegal aliens would be the most logical solution to this issue.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/business/05immigration.html?_r=1
The New York Times’ Eduardo Porter writes an article describes how illegal immigrants are paying into Social Security, but are not reaping the benefits.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/06/the-politics-of-illegal-immigration/5022/
The politics concerning illegal immigration is described in The Atlantic’s article.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_29/b3943001_mz001.htm
Businessweek expounds upon the idea that businesses are employing illegal immigrants as workers in their article.
The Federal for North American Immigration Reform (FAIR) wants to end illegal immigration and this organization explains that illegal aliens are causing harm to America.
http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/illegal-immigration-from-mexico.html
This website gives background information about Mexicans who immigrate illegally.
http://www.theamericanresistance.com/ref/illegal_alien_numbers.html
The American Resistance writes an extensive article that gives accurate statistics about the numbers of illegal aliens in the United States and how those numbers are expected to grow.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-01-21-immigrant-healthcare_N.htm
USA Today explains how illegal immigration is affecting health care costs and taxes.
http://www.cis.org/IllegalImmigration-ShiftingTide
The Center for Immigration Studies gives a very descriptive article that explains how and why the illegal immigration population is changing.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/92510/archives/2010/01/09/study-says-granting-amnesty-to-illegal-immigrants-would-boost-economy
The article gives reasons to why amnesty for illegal aliens would be the most logical solution to this issue.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/business/05immigration.html?_r=1
The New York Times’ Eduardo Porter writes an article describes how illegal immigrants are paying into Social Security, but are not reaping the benefits.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/06/the-politics-of-illegal-immigration/5022/
The politics concerning illegal immigration is described in The Atlantic’s article.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_29/b3943001_mz001.htm
Businessweek expounds upon the idea that businesses are employing illegal immigrants as workers in their article.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Implications Post
It is important to understand that the two polarized sides of illegal immigration make it difficult for the United States government to change our immigration system. While some believe amnesty is necessary for all, others insist that it is impossible that this decision is not the most logical one. If nothing is done, thousands of illegal immigrants will continue to cross our borders! I am not being dramatic. Specifically, our financial system is dependent on our decision to change or not to change the immigration system now. Coyotes will continue to lead illegal immigrants into our country because minimal measures are being done to prevent anything different from happening. Specifically, the Mexicans will continue to put a financial burden on taxpayers and will cause health care insurance costs to rise. Taxpayers will continue to pay for illegal aliens. In response to this idea, Republican Charles Baker urges that, “We need a ‘strong step forward in ensuring that taxpayer money is spent on legal residents seeking state services.’” (Unsure future for illegal immigration plan)
In addition, hospitals provide services to immigrants without health insurance causing them to lose millions of dollars. Because doctors and nurses do not ask about a person’s citizenship before giving treatment, they cannot determine who is insured and who is not. As a result, health care costs are rising as hospitals are losing money. “Hospitals in the Southwestern United States are losing $190 million annually per year for uncompensated health care from illegal immigrants.” Hospitals will continue to be forced to raise their costs. Therefore law-abiding citizens will be charged higher rates to compensate for those who are not paying. It has been said, that illegal immigrants “present this hard-working community as a drain our society's resources.” (Illegal Immigration could cost Taxpayers trillions)
If illegal immigration remains unresolved, our government and our hospitals will lose money, while taxpayers will have to pay higher rates for medical insurance. The issue comes down to “either you enforce the law and don't have so many illegals, or you shut up about the cost.” (Rising healthcare costs put focus on illegal immigrants) This quote is very clear about what needs to happen. Our country cannot have it both ways, either we will have to change our laws or have higher taxes.
In addition, hospitals provide services to immigrants without health insurance causing them to lose millions of dollars. Because doctors and nurses do not ask about a person’s citizenship before giving treatment, they cannot determine who is insured and who is not. As a result, health care costs are rising as hospitals are losing money. “Hospitals in the Southwestern United States are losing $190 million annually per year for uncompensated health care from illegal immigrants.” Hospitals will continue to be forced to raise their costs. Therefore law-abiding citizens will be charged higher rates to compensate for those who are not paying. It has been said, that illegal immigrants “present this hard-working community as a drain our society's resources.” (Illegal Immigration could cost Taxpayers trillions)
If illegal immigration remains unresolved, our government and our hospitals will lose money, while taxpayers will have to pay higher rates for medical insurance. The issue comes down to “either you enforce the law and don't have so many illegals, or you shut up about the cost.” (Rising healthcare costs put focus on illegal immigrants) This quote is very clear about what needs to happen. Our country cannot have it both ways, either we will have to change our laws or have higher taxes.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Theory Post: The Polarized Sides of Illegal Immigration
As the issue of illegal immigration surfaces, two specific sides have been established. (Opinions) The liberals and conservatives have two conflicting opinions, which makes it difficult for the federal government to make any progress. Liberals support amnesty for the “undocumented” immigrants and believe that the illegal immigrants should be given the same rights as citizens have. In contrast, conservatives oppose amnesty and want strict enforcement along the United States’ southern border. These beliefs are formed due to other opinions regarding racism, money, jobs, and ethics. Some are racist against Mexicans becoming U.S. citizens, others are concerned about the economic pressure illegal immigrants are causing our country, while many are worried that illegal aliens will take the jobs from naturalized citizens. No matter what people’s opinions are about the subject, the issue is very emotionally based and very much an ethical issue.
To solve the problem, it doesn’t make sense to let all Mexicans into our country and on the other hand, we can’t close our borders to prevent all immigration. These options are just too extreme! I believe some of these immigrants should be given permission to work here for a period of time and then they should be required to leave. For both sides to agree, I propose a reform in the process of acquiring green cards. The problem is that it is near impossible to get a green card. (Green Card Availability) By the time a person starts filing out the application to when they are granted permanent residence, it can take anywhere between 3 months and a few years. (Acquiring a Green Card) Who has enough time to wait three years? Also, the U.S. government gives preference to those who are researchers, have college degrees, and are considered skilled workers. (Elligibility for a Green Card) Since the majority of Mexicans are uneducated, they are not going to have a degree or be skilled in any particular task. That is the reason why they are coming to America! So, thousands chose immigrate without the legal documents necessary. Therefore, the government should consider amending the laws to acquiring a green card. When immigrants are applying for green cards, we should give them the opportunity to be employed by businesses that hire unskilled workers, such as construction and landscape companies. Then, while they are here in America, during a specified time period, immigrants are employed legally, are documented by the government, and the process takes a reasonable amount of time.
To solve the problem, it doesn’t make sense to let all Mexicans into our country and on the other hand, we can’t close our borders to prevent all immigration. These options are just too extreme! I believe some of these immigrants should be given permission to work here for a period of time and then they should be required to leave. For both sides to agree, I propose a reform in the process of acquiring green cards. The problem is that it is near impossible to get a green card. (Green Card Availability) By the time a person starts filing out the application to when they are granted permanent residence, it can take anywhere between 3 months and a few years. (Acquiring a Green Card) Who has enough time to wait three years? Also, the U.S. government gives preference to those who are researchers, have college degrees, and are considered skilled workers. (Elligibility for a Green Card) Since the majority of Mexicans are uneducated, they are not going to have a degree or be skilled in any particular task. That is the reason why they are coming to America! So, thousands chose immigrate without the legal documents necessary. Therefore, the government should consider amending the laws to acquiring a green card. When immigrants are applying for green cards, we should give them the opportunity to be employed by businesses that hire unskilled workers, such as construction and landscape companies. Then, while they are here in America, during a specified time period, immigrants are employed legally, are documented by the government, and the process takes a reasonable amount of time.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Analysis Post
It was recorded that there are about 6,000 people illegally immigrated to the US in 2009 and this number is only going to increase! (Recent Trends in Illegal Immigrant Population) Even though the count has decreased slightly in the past few years, millions of people are living here that are not citizens. In a recent post, I discussed about the reasons why Mexicans want to immigrate, but now the fact is that they are in our country and our government needs to react to these numbers. Ezra Klein suggests her right wing opinion that says:
In actuality, illegal immigrants bring about economic, business, political, and ethical concerns. These people are causing conflict, specifically in Texas, California, and Arizona, and we need to develop our immigration system accordingly. Even though we will welcome immigrants, there has to be a way to force them to become citizens before taking residency in the U.S.
First and foremost, illegal immigrants are creating unnecessary stress on our financial system. Here are some eye-opening statistics: Illegal aliens’ families impose about $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government, while they only pay about $16 million in taxes. Illegal aliens are not required to pay taxes because they are not citizens even though some do. These costs include Medicaid, food stamps, federal prison and court systems, and aid to school systems. The government provides these benefits to everyone, without distinguishing between citizens and non-citizens, causing our country to go into debt. In essence, the federal government uses a large amount of money paid by legal taxpayers to provide illegal immigrants the same services that citizens have. (The High Cost of Cheap Labor)
Some people suggest giving illegal immigrants amnesty as a solution. Amnesty is a way for the federal government to forgive those who are in the United States illegally and those actions they have taking illegally, using false documents. This forgiveness gives illegal aliens legal citizenship. Even though they have broken our laws, we would be forgiving them and allowing them to stay in America. Isn’t that backwards reasoning? This could be a viable option, but if immigrants were granted amnesty, these people would mostly be unskilled workers who would heavily utilize the government programs and would make minimal tax payments. (Immigration Amnesty) Also, by giving amnesty to them, some believe that it would be essentially encouraging other Mexicans to immigrate illegally. It was stated that “Amnesty sends the message that it is okay to break the law.” (Why Amnesty Isn't the Solution)
Others believe it is imperative for the government to grant amnesty. An article in the Chronicle states “legalizing the status of the 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States would boost the economy, creating jobs and increasing wages for native-born workers.” Another report claimed that the GDP could also be increased by about $1.5 trillion dollars in the next decade. (Granting Illegal Immigrants Amnesty would Boost Economy) Either way, if the government rules to grant all illegal immigrants citizenship, there will definitely be positive and negative consequences for the decision.
Secondly, businesses, such as banks, insurers, mortgage lenders, credit-card companies, and cell phone carriers, have contributed to the conflict of illegal immigration. Because there is a large population of illegal Hispanics in the United States, companies make money by selling products and services to them. Big businesses embrace illegal aliens as consumers and have become dependent on their labor. Because of this dependency, businesses know that the deportation of illegal aliens would literally cripple their corporations.
In regards to business, this statistic is incredible: “more than 1 million of the nation’s 2.5 million new jobs went to Hispanics, mostly recent immigrants.” (An opinion of Illegals) These immigrants are taking jobs away from citizens, but because illegal aliens contribute to the job market, companies continue to employ them. (U.S. businesses profiting from illegal aliens) It has been said that the federal government has been less strict about deportation because they are busy searing for potential terrorists since September 11th. If this is true, the government will be not as hash as in recent years and will not fine companies for employing illegal aliens. Even though businesses are required to check their employees’ Social Security numbers upon employment, about “2,300 of the country's 5.6 million employers used a computer system in 2004 to check employee Social Security numbers.” (Embracing Illegals) Thanks to businesses’ desire for profit and to not maintain integrity, illegal immigrants can easily get jobs and make money illegally in our country!!
The politics involved in this debate is also quite extensive. I have found the past two elections important in this issue (The Politics of Illegal Immigration). Based on the votes casted for the 2004 and 2008 elections, the majority of Latinos voted as Democrats, supporting John Kerry and Obama. (2008 Election Results, Latinos Strongly Support Democrats) Specifically since many Latinos disproved of Bush’s stance on immigration, many supported Barack Obama during his campaigning. During his years as President, he plans to legalize immigrants and also encourages the Senate to outline an immigration bill. (Obama backs plan to legalize illegals) In July, Obama gave a speech explaining his continuous support for immigration reform. (President Obama on Comprehensive Immigration Reform).
O'Malley explained his opinion in a debate earlier this week. He called illegal aliens “new Americans” which spawned conflict. Under O’Malley’s term, he has been criticized for making Maryland “a safe haven for illegal aliens and violent drug gangs.” He has done this by allowing driver’s licenses to be issued to non-citizens, being lax about immigration laws declared by the federal government, and telling law enforcement officers “to only report illegal aliens to the federal government when they have been arrested for a very serious crime, such as rape or murder.” (Now Illegal Americans are "New Americans")
Also, Arizona’s governor, Jan Brewer, signed a bill in April of 2010 stating that immigrants are required to carry their immigration papers and/or green cards with them at all times in case a law enforcement officer needs to see their identification. (Arizona Lashes Out on Illegal Immigration) The ruling in Arizona has sparked protests across the country. Some states, such as Texas, New Mexico, and California, disprove of the new law, while other states, like South Carolina, are making efforts to make their own similar laws. (Arizona-like Illegal Immigration Laws May Head Towards the Carolinas)
Another question arises during this discussion: Is it ethical to employ illegal aliens who have forged identification papers and no Social Security numbers? In my opinion, businesses should not be supporting those who do not have legal citizenship. Writers in the New York Times believe the opposite. They declare that since some illegal immigrants are paying taxes, they should be receiving Social Security benefits. Despite the fact that the government has spent most of the money set aside for Social Security, why should an illegal immigrant expect to get the same benefits as me, a citizen? That doesn’t make any sense to me. It just isn’t fair to come into the United States without proper identification and demand all the services that everyone else gets! Even if they are paying into the system, it makes them no different than anyone else who has to pay taxes. There is a simple explanation: they aren’t reaping the benefits that the government provides because they aren’t citizens. (Illegal Immigrants Are Bolstering Social Security With Billions)
Although ultimately, the American government needs to enforce those coming from Mexico illegally, we also need to avoid upsetting Mexico. Throughout history, we have had peaceful relations with them with NAFTA and we need to keep it that way. If we make an outrageously strict immigration policy, then Mexico will not want to trade with us anymore and we need many Mexican products, such as oil, car parts and electronics. (Mexico's Exports to the US) Zogby International took a poll about the relations between the two countries and 62% declared that it was imperative that the United States and Mexico continue to support each other, even through the controversy of immigration. (Zogby Poll) No matter what, we just cannot upset the Mexican government because we depend on many of their products.
As our government continues to debate the issue, here are the current requirements for someone to become a legal U.S. citizen. Make your own decision of whether or not these are reasonable requests. (Naturalization Fact Sheet) Also, I will close this post with an insightful quote said by Bob Filner. He said “As Congress continues to debate ways to address illegal immigration, we must remember the many hard-working legal immigrants that contribute so much to our nation's economy and culture.” (Immigration Quotes)
=)
Yes, there's illegal immigration, and yes, illegal immigrants should have to pay fees and learn English, but no, it's not good for American workers or the American economy to have 12 million illegal immigrants living in the shadows, and no, deporting 12 million people is not a realistic option. Put differently, there are two fundamental facts here: Yes, there are illegal immigrants, and yes, we need to find a way to make them legal residents.” (The Atlantic Quote)
In actuality, illegal immigrants bring about economic, business, political, and ethical concerns. These people are causing conflict, specifically in Texas, California, and Arizona, and we need to develop our immigration system accordingly. Even though we will welcome immigrants, there has to be a way to force them to become citizens before taking residency in the U.S.
First and foremost, illegal immigrants are creating unnecessary stress on our financial system. Here are some eye-opening statistics: Illegal aliens’ families impose about $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government, while they only pay about $16 million in taxes. Illegal aliens are not required to pay taxes because they are not citizens even though some do. These costs include Medicaid, food stamps, federal prison and court systems, and aid to school systems. The government provides these benefits to everyone, without distinguishing between citizens and non-citizens, causing our country to go into debt. In essence, the federal government uses a large amount of money paid by legal taxpayers to provide illegal immigrants the same services that citizens have. (The High Cost of Cheap Labor)
Some people suggest giving illegal immigrants amnesty as a solution. Amnesty is a way for the federal government to forgive those who are in the United States illegally and those actions they have taking illegally, using false documents. This forgiveness gives illegal aliens legal citizenship. Even though they have broken our laws, we would be forgiving them and allowing them to stay in America. Isn’t that backwards reasoning? This could be a viable option, but if immigrants were granted amnesty, these people would mostly be unskilled workers who would heavily utilize the government programs and would make minimal tax payments. (Immigration Amnesty) Also, by giving amnesty to them, some believe that it would be essentially encouraging other Mexicans to immigrate illegally. It was stated that “Amnesty sends the message that it is okay to break the law.” (Why Amnesty Isn't the Solution)
Others believe it is imperative for the government to grant amnesty. An article in the Chronicle states “legalizing the status of the 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States would boost the economy, creating jobs and increasing wages for native-born workers.” Another report claimed that the GDP could also be increased by about $1.5 trillion dollars in the next decade. (Granting Illegal Immigrants Amnesty would Boost Economy) Either way, if the government rules to grant all illegal immigrants citizenship, there will definitely be positive and negative consequences for the decision.
Secondly, businesses, such as banks, insurers, mortgage lenders, credit-card companies, and cell phone carriers, have contributed to the conflict of illegal immigration. Because there is a large population of illegal Hispanics in the United States, companies make money by selling products and services to them. Big businesses embrace illegal aliens as consumers and have become dependent on their labor. Because of this dependency, businesses know that the deportation of illegal aliens would literally cripple their corporations.
In regards to business, this statistic is incredible: “more than 1 million of the nation’s 2.5 million new jobs went to Hispanics, mostly recent immigrants.” (An opinion of Illegals) These immigrants are taking jobs away from citizens, but because illegal aliens contribute to the job market, companies continue to employ them. (U.S. businesses profiting from illegal aliens) It has been said that the federal government has been less strict about deportation because they are busy searing for potential terrorists since September 11th. If this is true, the government will be not as hash as in recent years and will not fine companies for employing illegal aliens. Even though businesses are required to check their employees’ Social Security numbers upon employment, about “2,300 of the country's 5.6 million employers used a computer system in 2004 to check employee Social Security numbers.” (Embracing Illegals) Thanks to businesses’ desire for profit and to not maintain integrity, illegal immigrants can easily get jobs and make money illegally in our country!!
The politics involved in this debate is also quite extensive. I have found the past two elections important in this issue (The Politics of Illegal Immigration). Based on the votes casted for the 2004 and 2008 elections, the majority of Latinos voted as Democrats, supporting John Kerry and Obama. (2008 Election Results, Latinos Strongly Support Democrats) Specifically since many Latinos disproved of Bush’s stance on immigration, many supported Barack Obama during his campaigning. During his years as President, he plans to legalize immigrants and also encourages the Senate to outline an immigration bill. (Obama backs plan to legalize illegals) In July, Obama gave a speech explaining his continuous support for immigration reform. (President Obama on Comprehensive Immigration Reform).
O'Malley explained his opinion in a debate earlier this week. He called illegal aliens “new Americans” which spawned conflict. Under O’Malley’s term, he has been criticized for making Maryland “a safe haven for illegal aliens and violent drug gangs.” He has done this by allowing driver’s licenses to be issued to non-citizens, being lax about immigration laws declared by the federal government, and telling law enforcement officers “to only report illegal aliens to the federal government when they have been arrested for a very serious crime, such as rape or murder.” (Now Illegal Americans are "New Americans")
Also, Arizona’s governor, Jan Brewer, signed a bill in April of 2010 stating that immigrants are required to carry their immigration papers and/or green cards with them at all times in case a law enforcement officer needs to see their identification. (Arizona Lashes Out on Illegal Immigration) The ruling in Arizona has sparked protests across the country. Some states, such as Texas, New Mexico, and California, disprove of the new law, while other states, like South Carolina, are making efforts to make their own similar laws. (Arizona-like Illegal Immigration Laws May Head Towards the Carolinas)
Another question arises during this discussion: Is it ethical to employ illegal aliens who have forged identification papers and no Social Security numbers? In my opinion, businesses should not be supporting those who do not have legal citizenship. Writers in the New York Times believe the opposite. They declare that since some illegal immigrants are paying taxes, they should be receiving Social Security benefits. Despite the fact that the government has spent most of the money set aside for Social Security, why should an illegal immigrant expect to get the same benefits as me, a citizen? That doesn’t make any sense to me. It just isn’t fair to come into the United States without proper identification and demand all the services that everyone else gets! Even if they are paying into the system, it makes them no different than anyone else who has to pay taxes. There is a simple explanation: they aren’t reaping the benefits that the government provides because they aren’t citizens. (Illegal Immigrants Are Bolstering Social Security With Billions)
Although ultimately, the American government needs to enforce those coming from Mexico illegally, we also need to avoid upsetting Mexico. Throughout history, we have had peaceful relations with them with NAFTA and we need to keep it that way. If we make an outrageously strict immigration policy, then Mexico will not want to trade with us anymore and we need many Mexican products, such as oil, car parts and electronics. (Mexico's Exports to the US) Zogby International took a poll about the relations between the two countries and 62% declared that it was imperative that the United States and Mexico continue to support each other, even through the controversy of immigration. (Zogby Poll) No matter what, we just cannot upset the Mexican government because we depend on many of their products.
As our government continues to debate the issue, here are the current requirements for someone to become a legal U.S. citizen. Make your own decision of whether or not these are reasonable requests. (Naturalization Fact Sheet) Also, I will close this post with an insightful quote said by Bob Filner. He said “As Congress continues to debate ways to address illegal immigration, we must remember the many hard-working legal immigrants that contribute so much to our nation's economy and culture.” (Immigration Quotes)
=)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
As an illegal immigrant, how would I view immigration across the Texas-Mexico border??
I know this may sound basic, but I am going to talk about how an illegal immigrant would view this whole process. There are two main reasons why Mexicans want to come to America.
1) Because the United States is so close to Mexico, many people want to see what America is like AND
2) There is a major difference between the standard of living between the two countries. A low paying job in America could be ten times better than a job in Mexico. People are drawn to the possibility of making a decent living for themselves in America.
The average Mexican makes $4.15 per hour and those who work in agriculture make even less money. I had no idea that about 40% of Mexicans are below the poverty line!!!! Yes, 4 in 10 people are poor. That definitely puts my life as an American into perspective. 40% that is an incredibly high number. Even though many have jobs, the wages do not normally cover the necessities of life. The lifestyle that Americans lead gives many Mexicans hope that they could one day better provide for their families. Basically, money is the main draw for wanting to immigrate. US Immigration Support
So...because Mexicans are so determined to come to the United States, many do not go through with the correct documentation to become a citizen. Many are smuggled and cross the Texas or Arizona border. These smugglers are called "coyotes" and they get paid to cross the border with immigrants. U.S. Border Patrol fines "coyotes" if they are caught and then they are sent back to Mexico. The problem is that many cannot be recognized and therefore immigrants continue to enter illegally year after year. In 2002, Senator McCain proclaimed that "about 4 million people crossed our borders illegally." American Resistance 4 million?! That is a huge number! It amazes me that the United States can win in battle against foreign countries, but we cannot develop a way to keep illegal immigrants out. In an effort to stop this, more checkpoints have been added near California, Texas, and Arizona requiring people to show their documentation and identification before crossing the border. The checkpoints have helped some, but not enough to make the issue obsolete.
Once inside the country, illegal immigrants tend to have two goals.
1) To send money back to their families AND
2) To bring the rest of their family to America.
I would have the exact same ideas if I was a poor young woman living in Mexico City. I would want to be able to provide for my family and my children. If coming into America with a "coyote" was the only option I think I would take him up on that offer. Knowing that I could get a higher paying job somewhere else, I would most certainly make the move, even if I was violating the law. Would you?
1) Because the United States is so close to Mexico, many people want to see what America is like AND
2) There is a major difference between the standard of living between the two countries. A low paying job in America could be ten times better than a job in Mexico. People are drawn to the possibility of making a decent living for themselves in America.
The average Mexican makes $4.15 per hour and those who work in agriculture make even less money. I had no idea that about 40% of Mexicans are below the poverty line!!!! Yes, 4 in 10 people are poor. That definitely puts my life as an American into perspective. 40% that is an incredibly high number. Even though many have jobs, the wages do not normally cover the necessities of life. The lifestyle that Americans lead gives many Mexicans hope that they could one day better provide for their families. Basically, money is the main draw for wanting to immigrate. US Immigration Support
So...because Mexicans are so determined to come to the United States, many do not go through with the correct documentation to become a citizen. Many are smuggled and cross the Texas or Arizona border. These smugglers are called "coyotes" and they get paid to cross the border with immigrants. U.S. Border Patrol fines "coyotes" if they are caught and then they are sent back to Mexico. The problem is that many cannot be recognized and therefore immigrants continue to enter illegally year after year. In 2002, Senator McCain proclaimed that "about 4 million people crossed our borders illegally." American Resistance 4 million?! That is a huge number! It amazes me that the United States can win in battle against foreign countries, but we cannot develop a way to keep illegal immigrants out. In an effort to stop this, more checkpoints have been added near California, Texas, and Arizona requiring people to show their documentation and identification before crossing the border. The checkpoints have helped some, but not enough to make the issue obsolete.
Once inside the country, illegal immigrants tend to have two goals.
1) To send money back to their families AND
2) To bring the rest of their family to America.
I would have the exact same ideas if I was a poor young woman living in Mexico City. I would want to be able to provide for my family and my children. If coming into America with a "coyote" was the only option I think I would take him up on that offer. Knowing that I could get a higher paying job somewhere else, I would most certainly make the move, even if I was violating the law. Would you?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Arizona's Strict Immigration Law Passed in April
When the Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, signed a bill regarding illegal immigration. The bill was passed in April of 2010 and sparked news stations to revisit the ideas of immigration reform. Brewer explained that she signed the bill because something needed to be done to prevent more Hispanics from entering the United States illegally. The law states that immigrants are required to carry their immigration papers and/or green cards with them at all times in case a law enforcement officer needs to see their identification. Protests immediately erupted because many people felt that this gave police officers the right to stereotype immigrants to deport them. President Obama criticized the law and noted that it "undermined [the] basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe."
New York Times Article
I don't think the Arizona immigration law is going to work out very well. Though I cannot currently propose a better solution, something does need to be done to prevent illegal immigrants from staying in the country after their visas and green cards have expired. But is it best to force them to carry around the immigration documents? No. This force will lead immigrants feeling offended because of race and/or ethnicity. Natural born Hispanics and immigrants will feel judged when they are asked to give a police officer their documents. Although this law is only in effect in Arizona, the law will initiate discussion in Washington, D.C. Even though Obama and his presidential cabinet disagree with the decision, I don't think that anyone should complain about a decision if 1) they have not made an effort to do anything else or 2) they don't give another suggestion to solve the problem. The Arizona state government is at least taking a stand on an issue because illegal immigrants have cost their state money due to failure to pay taxes.
Is there a better way to combat this predicament? I think so.
Attached is the video clip that became basis for forming my ideas.
Controversy with Arizona law
New York Times Article
I don't think the Arizona immigration law is going to work out very well. Though I cannot currently propose a better solution, something does need to be done to prevent illegal immigrants from staying in the country after their visas and green cards have expired. But is it best to force them to carry around the immigration documents? No. This force will lead immigrants feeling offended because of race and/or ethnicity. Natural born Hispanics and immigrants will feel judged when they are asked to give a police officer their documents. Although this law is only in effect in Arizona, the law will initiate discussion in Washington, D.C. Even though Obama and his presidential cabinet disagree with the decision, I don't think that anyone should complain about a decision if 1) they have not made an effort to do anything else or 2) they don't give another suggestion to solve the problem. The Arizona state government is at least taking a stand on an issue because illegal immigrants have cost their state money due to failure to pay taxes.
Is there a better way to combat this predicament? I think so.
Attached is the video clip that became basis for forming my ideas.
Controversy with Arizona law
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Falcon Lake 'pirate' attack sparks needs for reform
Based on an article called “Falcon Lake ‘pirate’ attack: Sign of spillover from Mexico drug war?” a couple was attacked on a lake that is in Texas and Mexico. The couple were jet skiing and three boats approached them shooting and killing her husband. Authorities are not sure if the incident was directly related to a drug gang because they cannot find the jet ski or the man’s body. Even if the violence is related to the war, Arizona officials are using the violence around the Texas-Mexico border to “justify law enforcement crackdowns.” This summer, Arizona passed a law requiring all residents to carrying their immigration papers wherever they go in case a police officer needs to check their residency. The president will need to address the violence occurring in Southern Texas which may give rise to immigration reform.
Even though this article might spark the need to address U.S.-Mexico relations, I do not think Obama will automatically change the system based on the killing of one man. That may sound harsh, but I believe more violence has to occur before reforms will begin. This incident does support the state of Arizona’s feelings to have stricter laws about immigration, but does not constitute a law change. More people have to be affected before anything will be changed regarding citizenship requirements.
Falcon Lake 'pirate' attack: Sign of spillover from Mexico drug war?
Questioning if Immigration is worth the fight
Turning on the news, I am instantly overwhelmed by the many problems that the government faces with immigration. Would it best to build a fence along the southern border of the United States? Is that even reasonable to spend that amount of money when illegal immigrants will continue to come into Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona? Should the federal government be really concerned with illegal immigration? Are people in Arizona overreacting to the whole situation? Is our economy suffering because illegal immigrants staying in the U.S. after their green card has expired? Our country began with immigrants, mainly from Europe, but do we want to stop allowing Mexicans into the country. No! That is not the problem at all. We want them to be here, but just legally. Ok now the issue turns to what the requirements of an immigrant to be a citizen should be.
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