Immigration Research Paper

Is Reform on Immigration somewhere in the near Future? Research Paper What is the first thing that comes to mind when one might think of Immigration? Possibly what is the United States current Immigration Policy? Would you even think that it is considered to be one of the most debatable topics constantly? There are two sides to every debate; I have been assigned to the pro side for immigration stating that I feel that there should be limits placed on immigration to our country and also more regulation of illegal aliens.

The controversy over Immigration first started when migration reached a peak in the early 1900’s when between the years of 1900 and 1910 over 1 million immigrants entered the United States each year. (Hsu, 2009) Ever since then, immigration has constantly been in debate. Immigration is the powerful strength behind U. S. population increase, right now accounting for half of total net population boost.

Our countries population growth, which at three million per year right now is the maximum in the developed world, is a main cause of many of the United States problems and presents a severe risk to our limited natural resources such as topsoil, forests, clean air and water, and healthy ecosystems. Statistics are saying that the population of the United States in the year 2050 should be around 500 million. The population is not just growing, but it is rapidly increasing. Some states are becoming so overpopulated with this rapid growth that people are comparing them to be growing more immensely than that of some third world countries. This extremely rapid growth is beginning to put a vast strain on our countries natural resources, cities and environmental health. There is beginning to be many conflicts connected with massive population growth, such as heavy traffic, air pollution, water and energy shortages, extremely overcrowded schools, declines in purchasing authority and quality of living, tax increases, and soil erosion. ”However, the average American citizen's birthrate is at substitution level.

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What most of the American population doesn’t realize is that “over 70% of the United States expansion is due to mass- immigration of people generated into the population growth. ”(Immigration) A supreme restraint on legal immigration would considerably decrease on both existing and future chain migration. This restriction would give the United States time to even out the current population, address the problems created by over-stressed city infrastructures and poverty, and to form an environmental policy to protect strained natural resources.

A halt would then give time for new immigrants and poor citizens alike to achieve better opportunities through higher salary and improved learning opportunities. “The Untied states currently takes in over one million legal immigrants each year, which is more than all other developed nations in the world, combined. ” The absolute number of immigrants has basically affected our country's ability to continue to contribute for newcomers and natives equally, and to put it simply has only added to America's problems.

Immigration reform has been recently been brought to attention by the Obama administration “pushing amnesty for illegal immigrants. The Administration has also reversed a number of policies that had improved enforcement. These changes have included ending work place raids and a shift toward "catch and release" of illegal immigrants, instead of detaining them and deporting them. Rather than chase comprehensive immigration reform, the Administration and Congress should ensure that the existing policies on border security, interior enforcement, and non-immigrant visas are working. (McNeill, 2010). What the Obama Administration should be doing is not pushing so much emphasis towards amnesty, but instead focuses on fixing the problems happening along the border, in the cities, and in the U. S. visa system. An incremental approach should be used to solve these problems, focusing foremost on the security of the border and following through with enforcing immigration laws within the United States, while making visa services more successful and bringing them up to date with the realistic demands of the U. S. economy.

The Three-Legged Stool of Immigration Policy During a speech given by Janet Napolitano, U. S. Secretary of Homeland security, she referred to the "three-legged stool" of immigration reform, where she described the legs as "serious and effective enforcement, improved legal movement for families and workers, and a firm but fair way to deal with those who are already here. The stool is considered to be initially unstable. The three-legged stool of immigration policy would be more stable if it used the following three legs: Border ecurity, Effective interior enforcement, and an efficient and dynamic visa and naturalization system. Border Security. The U. S. has made some advancement on border security, but a large amount work still needs to be done. Secretary Napolitano’s three-legged stool assumes that this piece has already been accomplished. In addition, the U. S. cannot be convinced how much of this development is the product of improved U. S. border security and how much is the product of the recession, which has reduced economic incentives to cross into the U. S. illegally.

Interior Enforcement

Instead of building on past progress, over the past year the Obama Administration has overturned a number of successful core enforcement efforts that began under the Bush Administration. Secretary Napolitano has argued, “We have replaced old policies that merely looked tough with policies that are designed to actually be effective. ”(McNeill, 2010) The Naturalization System. U. S. isa and naturalization programs remain unproductive and the country still lacks a stimulating part-time worker curriculum that legal immigrants can use to come to work in the United States. Advocates with both pro-immigrant and restriction views on immigration have convincing points that could be lead in the direction of reform. “Those that are in favor of the need for improved enforcement argues that reform is needed to both strengthen border security and to put together a dependable interior worksite system to prevent employers from hiring those not certified to work in the United States. (Tessada, 2010)

And those in favor of legalization would like a program that allows immigrants who have lived in the United States for a certain number of years and who are suitable to apply for legal status and the right for occupation to work. In conclusion, when it comes down to immigration, people need to be able to trust the system. Americans need to know that their government is fully dedicated to enforcing the law and securing the border and that this responsibility is being taken care of very seriously. Law enforcement needs to be better equipped with the legal tools and the required funds to deal with border-related and immigration-related crime. ”

Immigrants need to be able to plan ahead for the future they need to know everything that is included in the laws once they have been reformed, there is going to have a system that actually works, and that the general nature of our immigration laws will last, and they need to know that they will have as many responsibilities as they do human rights.

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