Self-Analysis Post

Doing this blog has helped me to make great strides in my growth as an intellectual and a person, because instead of simply formulating an opinion on an issue, I’ve begun to formulate a plan for action. In my opinion, this is what is essential in bringing about progress. It is easy to make a complaint and say what’s wrong with something, but it takes a lot more effort to suggest a solution. In doing this blog, I hope I have put forth some constructive criticism as well as some ideas for illegal immigration policy.

In the beginning, I believe my opinion was very similar to most “liberal” (as in generous and broad in thought) Americans. Although I felt that illegal immigration was a critical issue, I disagreed with many of the policies regulating it and other proposals to confront it such as Arizona Senate Bill 1070. I felt that much of the legislation and crusades against illegal immigration were motivated by racism, and this has not changed. The debate and controversy surrounding things such as the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 make it evident that there are still considerable problems in America with race and ethnicity, particularly when considering Hispanics.

When ruling on illegal immigration policy, there are basically two polarized opinions. One is that the illegal immigrants are simply coming to the country to provide a better life for themselves and be a part of the American Dream. The other side proposes that illegal immigrants are a threat to the security and economic prosperity of the country, and that illegal immigration leaves the country vulnerable to terrorist attacks and drug trafficking. Both of these sides have valid arguments and to move forward America must realize this.

No matter the intentions of the illegal immigrants, or the many ways in which they benefit our lives, we as Americans need to reform our Immigration Laws. As stated, immigration is beneficial to the country, but it is simply not safe to have millions of undocumented people interacting in our society. There needs to be some sort of traceable identity for Americans to ensure that everyone is held accountable for their actions.  This I feel is the main issue over the other economic and social impacts.

In doing this blog, I’ve come to the realization that these things need to happen to improve the immigration conditions in the U.S.:

1.       We need to secure the US borders and increase border security. Past ideas for doing so have included building a border fence, but I do not feel this is the answer. I believe that we should place more authorities at the border, and give them the resources they need to deter people from entering the country. If we start at the border, a lot of immigration problems will cease to exist.

2.       We must increase communication with the Mexican government. Because a majority of these immigrants are coming from Mexico, I think collaborating with their government to find the source of the problem would help. Together, maybe a solution can be created. Better American-Mexican relations would help immigration issues.

3.       We need to help accommodate the existing immigrants (legal and illegal) into American society better. This includes not only helping them learn the culture but making sure they partake in civic duties. We must also find a way to give an identity to those undocumented or falsely documented.

Putting my proposals into action will lead to more government spending, but what better to spend on than the security of your country and the well-being of your citizens?

With the extensive research and time I’ve put into making “The Border”, I feel that now I can contribute to the illegal immigration debate and that my opinions are no longer emotionally driven but rationally evaluated. In my first post, I stated that “The purpose of this blog is to examine the parameters of immigration in the United States, and discuss how race and other factors are shaping its perception in the public eye. In creating this blog, I hope to spark a healthy conversation that will leave myself and my audience with a greater understanding of the issues at hand”.  When considering all the work I’ve done, I think I have accomplished the goal I set in my initial post. I’ve gained a much better understanding of immigration laws and I feel that I have sparked a healthy conversation.

I hope you’ve enjoyed The Border!

Illegal Immigration 101

This video (embedding was disabled) from CNN provides a lot of interesting information about illegal immigration. For instance, I did not know that 7% of public school children have an undocumented parent, or that 6% of illegal immigrants use a hospital in the case of an emergency. Equally interesting, I didn't know that only 12% of construction workers are illegal immigrants. This number is much different from the number proclaimed in social media.

The MOST interesting fact taken from the video will blow your mind. It is that ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOT A CRIME!! I repeat, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOT A CRIME!! According to the video, it actually is a civil offense. This means that entering the country illegally is supposed to be viewed similar to a misdemeanor (jaywalking, traffic violations, etc, etc). This fact is not presented enough in the media. Too often, I've heard illegal immigrants described as criminals and crooks. While they still are not completely innocent, it is funny to know that their "crime" is the same as mine when I jaywalk across the street everyday to class!

However, illegal immigration NOT being a crime doesn't excuse the fact that it still needs regulation. The video simply shows that maybe the conditions are not as bad as some people would want you to believe. In the coming years, it will be interesting to see whether these numbers fluctuate or decrease. Also, I wonder why so many people are flooding to the country NOW. Since Mexico and the US have been neighbors for as long as we've known, what has sparked such a increase in people emigrating? Maybe the answer to that question will lead to a solution to the illegal immigration crisis.

Other great blogs!

Other than illegal immigration, there a many other social issues being blogged about. Here are a few I find interesting being written by my fellow classmates

Rights For All
This is a blog advocating for the rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Racial, and Transgendered people. In today's society, there are many issues facing LGBT people and "Rights For All" addresses many of them. Recent posts have involved "Don't Ask Don't Tell", gay marriage, and adoption rights for LGBT. I'd recommend reading this blog if you want to know more about the plight of LGBT people or if you're simply interested in gay rights.

Occupation: Unemployment
This blog focuses on unemployment, which is all too common in today's society. Since unemployment has the potential to affect us all, I consider this a very important blog to read. The last few posts have dealt with unemployment statistics, what will happen if the unemployment issue isn't approached, and the outsourcing of jobs to other countries. I'd recommend reading this blog to prepare yourself for the competitive. workforce.

Health Care Reform
This blog is centered around the health care system, which is currently in great need of reform. This issue is important, because no matter who you are or what you believe in, you will need health care either for yourself or for your family. The last posts have dealt with new health care reform bill, how it is perceived, and how it will effect Americans. I'd recommend reading this blog if you are interested in current health care policy and want to know more about the current health care reform bill

Links for Illegal Immigration Research

In researching Illegal Immigration for my blog, I examined many websites for information regarding the topic. The following list contains the sites I found most helpful, and a short description of each one.

1) Immigration ProCon.org
This site was very helpful in the writing of my analysis post. It is basically a database of information regarding illegal immigration. On this site, you can find the issues concerning the topic and also quotes from prominent officials. In addition, the site gives a time-line of illegal immigration and it also has stats that can be used for argument.

2) Center for Immigration Studies
This site is host to many articles written regarding immigration. It also has links to information discussing sub-topics such as the Arizona illegal immigration law, amnesty, the cost of immigration, and other topics. I'd suggest going to this site to gain the background to formulate an opinion on illegal immigration.

3) Federation For American Immigration Reform
This site contains information about a variety of immigration topics. On the Illegal Immigration page, there are articles regarding immigration policy and at the bottom of it there are state cost studies. These help you to see the expenses of illegal immigration. In addition, the site has sections discussing legal immigration, border security, national security, and societal issues regarding immigration.

4) Polling Report
This site is a compilation of public opinion polls conducted by various organizations. I used this site to evaluate the public's opinion on topics related to illegal immigration. Doing this gave me statistical data to back some of the assumptions I made.

5) News Batch
This site contains extensive research on immigration that is fairly current as well. The site discusses policy issues and effects of immigration, along with other issues.

6) Global Issues
This site talks about global issues regarding immigration such as why people emigrate and the effects of immigration. It also provides statistics about immigrants.

7) Google News
Simply type "illegal immigration" or any word related to immigration and current articles will be displayed for your use.

According to History, Amnesty won't work?

In a few of my previous posts, I have advocated amnesty and a path to citizenship for the existing illegal immigrants living in the United States of America. However, today I came across an article titled "History tells us Amnesty for illegal aliens in destined to fail" that challenges my previous argument in many ways. The article breaks down how amnesty didn't work in the Regan Administration, and how "amnesty means larger government and higher costs". The author also talks about how amnesty encourages illegal immigration by awarding illegal immigrants with rights. Although the article was very informative and persuasive, in the end it offered no alternative to route to improve illegal immigration conditions, which bothered me somewhat.

The illegal immigration issue is interesting because there is no clear cut manner to deal with the issue. It seems that no matter the action taken, there will be minimal benefits with drastic drawbacks. Illegal immigration policy is simply a matter of the "lesser of the evils". Regarding amnesty, I see two outcomes:

1) The illegal immigrants in America are granted amnesty, begin a path to citizenship and become assimilated into American society. Money is lost and illegal immigration continues, but conditions slightly improve on the homeland
2) Amnesty is not granted and conditions remain the same. Money is lost and illegal immigration continues.

While I feel #1 is slightly more constructive, these are the kinds of things legislative bodies have to consider while deciding policies. Should we take a gamble on Amnesty again in hopes of better results? Other than money (which we lose SO much of to the point that it seems worthless anyway) what more do we have to lose?

Illegal Immigration Implications Post

If America does not take action on the illegal immigration crisis, the security of its citizens may be at risk. As stated earlier, immigration is a great thing for the country. However, a mass amount of people entering the country undocumented proposes a possibility for danger. Not knowing who these people are or where they come from is a problem that can only lead to a massive headache for the government. Although we can assume and hope that most of the immigrants coming to America illegally are in pursuit of the American dream, we can’t take the security of the country for granted. If crossing into US territory is so easy, we may be vulnerable to terrorism or even worse. The recent violence and drug trafficking around the US & Mexican border has already been documented heavily in the past months. No matter the political affiliation or emotional connection to immigration, America needs to take a firm stance on illegal immigration to protect its citizens. Either we will continue the negligence that leaves citizens vulnerable to numerous threats, or we can be proactive and set policies that provide security for the country while allowing the cultural exchange that is immigration.

Theory Post

In the debate about illegal immigration, a lot of disagreement stems from several misunderstandings on the issue. Often, people tend to discuss the issue relying on either 1) their strong sense of nationalism or 2) a sense of sympathy for illegal immigrants due to the struggles they have to face. The biggest step in approaching illegal immigration effectively is to look at the issue practically.

First, immigration is very necessary to American society. Due to the illegal entry of some immigrants, many people have developed a strong dislike for foreigners. However, these people have to understand the positives that immigrants bring to the country when they move. In short, immigrants help to stimulate the economy and they add diversity to American society. This sort of cultural exchange is healthy and helps to establish America as the world wide pinnacle of opportunity.

Secondly, we have to realize that although immigration is beneficial to society, we still need laws to regulate it. Even more importantly, we need to realize that we have to do a better job enforcing the existing laws regarding immigration. Increasing border patrols and equipping border security with the necessary tools should help with this. Also, those in public policy need to decide whether or not immigration law should be legislated strictly at a national level versus a state level, or whether or not the legislative duties should be shared.

Finally, we must shift the focus from the current illegal immigrants to the future illegal immigrants. The old saying “It’s no use crying over spilled milk” is effective in summing up this aspect of the problem. Although they entered the country here illegally, we can’t waste time and effort trying to deport them or penalize them. Offering them a path to citizenship is the best way to incorporate them into America and instill the values they were supposed to get going through the naturalization process. In addition to a path to citizenship, widespread immigration reform must be considered to encourage legal immigration and help integrate immigrants into society.

Something Epic: A Mental Breather

Immigration talk can get heated, so for just a moment I'd like to shift the focus to something we all can enjoy: MUSIC!

Kanye West & KiD CuDi are my favorite artists! EVERYBODY should buy their CD's when they drop!





It's a celebration! DANCE!

A Nation of Hypocrites?

This article written by Gregory Rodriguez, a columnist for the LA Times, proposes that in a sense we are all hypocrites on illegal immigration. Many may be taken aback by such an accusation, but as Rodriguez develops his argument, one must seriously consider his point.

According to Rodriguez, 37% of drywall installers, 28% or dishwashers, 27% of housekeepers and 21% of parking lot attendants are undocumented immigrants. These numbers may not mean much to some people, but they imply that illegal immigrants are working behind the scenes in many industries that we use every single day. It is possible that every time we go out to eat or even move into a new home that we are indirectly supporting illegal immigration.

A recent display of the hypocritical nature Rodriguez describes was put on exhibition in the California gubernatorial debates after Meg Whitman was exposed as an illegal immigrant employer after advocating a "crack down" on businesses that hire illegal immigrants. With his article, it is as if Rodriguez is asking us how we aid illegal immigration in our lives. I think it is important to consider this when supporting or opposing illegal immigration policies. How is it that we can argue so vehemently against illegal immigration when it has infiltrated our everyday life so easily? Is it fair to portray these illegal immigrants as "less than" when we reap the benefits of their labor everyday? We must either take a strict stance on illegal immigration and deny ALL aspects of it, or we must accept it and work to improve its conditions. Rodriguez has convinced me that we can't ride both sides on the fence in this issue.

Analyis Post for Illegal Immigration Solutions

The above video is a brief summary of immigration in America originally made for GOOD Magazine and displayed on dosomething.org. The contributions of immigrants to American society have been well documented, and many people would probably agree that immigration is a beneficial exchange for both countries involved. However, in America there is a great problem with the increase of illegal immigrants coming to the country. In legal terms, illegal immigration is a process in which a non-citizen enters a country without government permission or stays beyond the termination date of a visa.

According to the Washington Associated Press, there are approximately as many as 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States today.  It is also estimated that these 12 million illegal immigrants make up 1 of every 20 workers in the job market as well. This surplus of immigrants leaves the country with very difficult decisions to make. Along social and political lines, the country seems split on how to plan a solution for the illegal immigration crisis.

Concerning a “solution” for illegal immigration, there are three popular questions people hope will lead to answers: 

1)      Would a path of legalization/ amnesty for existing illegal immigrants be a good solution to illegal immigration in America?

2)      Is deportation a good solution to illegal immigration?

3)      Would building a fence along the U.S. Mexico Border be a good solution?

In relation to offering a path of legalization or amnesty for illegal immigrants, there are two contrasting perspectives. The supporting view point is that the country is not put at risk due to the existence of illegal immigrants, and that providing them with a path to legalization would benefit the country. The disagreeing point of view denies a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and supports stronger border security and the deportation of anyone in the country illegally.

Supporters for a path to citizenship believe that illegal immigrants are performing jobs that the average American won’t do, and therefore should be allowed to stay, help the economy, and support their families. Common occupations of illegal immigrants are in the fields of agriculture, construction, and hospitality industries. Because these jobs require maximum labor for often minimal pay, people feel it is wrong to further penalize them. Also, because the process of immigration is widely inaccessible and inconvenient, supporters sympathize with illegal immigrants and support their goals to provide for themselves and their families although they are technically breaking the law. Another reason supporters push for a path to legalization is so that illegal immigrants can contribute to the economy through taxes. If officially made U.S. citizens, formerly illegal immigrants will be subject to the same procedures and benefits as everyday Americans, ending the notion that they are “free-loading” off of other citizens.

Opponents for offering a path to citizenship believe that those who entered the country illegally with disregard for the nation’s laws shouldn’t be allowed legalization. They feel that doing so would “reward” criminal behavior and in turn encourage even more illegal immigration. Also, opponents believe that illegal immigrants deprive citizens of jobs because they are willing to work for sub-par wages. In addition, they support deportation as a way to rid the country of illegal immigrants and also discourage more from coming.

With respects to the arguments of the opponents for offering a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, at this point in America the best plan appears to involve legalization for the millions of illegal immigrants in this country already contributing and interacting in our society. If we continue to ignore and classify them as illegals, no progress will be made and citizens will have to continue to pay the bill for nearly 12 million illegal immigrants. By offering citizenship to illegal immigrants, they will be liable to pay taxes and can potentially take some of the burden off of tax payers.

Deportation is another proposed method for solving illegal immigration, but many of its supporters reconsider their position once they evaluate the cost of removing 12 million illegal immigrants from the country. According to the Center for American Progress, deporting all illegal immigrants from the United States would cost $200 billion with an additional $85 billion to enforce the deportation for five years. This would cost American tax payers $285 billion with every individual having an increase of $922 on their taxes every year. As if the cost to provide deportation wasn’t enough, the country would lose $2.5 trillion in Gross Domestic Product due to the removal of all illegal immigrant workers. However, if all illegal immigrants are allowed to stay and continue work, there will be a $1.5 trillion growth in Gross Domestic Product over the next ten years.

Although immigration regulations need to be enforced, deporting all illegal immigrants is simply not the best way to go about business. The cost would severely cripple an ailing economy even worse, and furthermore the plan would be hard to execute. Although we may not like them being here illegally, illegal immigrants contribute a considerable amount to the Gross Domestic Product of individual states and the nation. In such trying economic times, we would be hurting ourselves by deporting hard working illegal immigrants.

Another solution for illegal immigration that has been proposed is the construction of a fence around the U.S. and Mexico Border. Supporters of a border fence cite its need due to the money lost in income tax revenue. They claim that illegal immigration is draining the countries funds into social welfare, health, and education programs that benefit illegal immigrants. They believe that a high-tech and physical barrier will prevent people from attempting to immigrate illegally, and that it will help authorities apprehend perpetrators better. Fences have been proven to statistically deter illegal immigration, as a fence constructed around San Diego’s border decreased illegal entries from 600,000 to 153,000 over 17 years.

Opponents of building a fence around the border feel that building the fence would contradict the American ideals of opportunity and mobility. Instead of constructing a fence, they argue that immigration reform needs to be constructed instead. Also, there are concerns that building a fence around the border will disturb the environment as it will hinder migrating wildlife from carrying on their natural processes. In fact, 30 laws regarding the environment and animal rights would have to be waived for the construction of the border fence to happen. In addition, there is a fear that building the fence will increase the amount of people risking their lives to be smuggled into the country. People smuggling is already a problem with existing border conditions, and building a fence would only heighten the desperation and measures taken to reach the better life available in America.

Building a fence around the border of the United States and Mexico is simply not the most effective way to prevent illegal immigration. The creation of the border fence not only presents an unnecessary expense, but it sends a bad message to our bordering country, Mexico. Although it could possibly decrease the numbers of illegal immigrants, it would end up costing the country money, its opportunistic reputation, and it could turn off immigrants hoping to move to the country legally.

In order to truly improve the conditions of illegal immigration, new ideas must be tried and the government must be willing to enact upon them. Although it is a seemingly brash measure, offering a path to citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants in the United States seems like the best plan of action to date. Another suggestion would be to increase the interaction between the U.S. and Mexican government, as the issues surrounding illegal immigration can be discussed and possibly a solution can be found at the root of the problem. These policies coupled with the idea of strengthening border security can lead to great advancements in American growth and security.

Arizona's Plan for Immigration

In the quest to decide a plan for illegal immigration policy, Arizona has taken drastic measures with their illegal immigration bill.

Throughout the world, America is commonly referred to as “the land of opportunity” and a “melting pot” of race, culture, religion, and other factions. In its existence, diverse groups have perpetually migrated to the States hoping to establish a better life for themselves and their families. While it is not the American desire to suppress the “pursuit of happiness”, the government is forced to set a system of procedures for legal immigration into the country. Due to problems with the national system of immigration and a rise in illegal immigration, several states have felt the need to create and enforce their own immigration laws. On April 23^rd, 2010, the state of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer approved Senate Bill 1070, an immigration law that has stirred controversy and debate across the nation. 

Senate Bill 1070 or the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” adds state penalties to immigration law enforcement. Immigration law enforcement includes trespassing, harboring and transporting illegal immigrants, alien registration documents, employer sanctions, and human smuggling. The law is progressive in the fact that it is one of the first immigration laws to include a trespassing provision. A major aspect of the law requires Arizona law enforcement to assess the immigration status of anybody suspected to be an illegal immigrant during a lawful stop, detention, or arrest. This “assessment” is the main source of controversy, because some believe it will only invite racial profiling and harassment of the Hispanics community in Arizona. Also under Senate Bill 1070, if suspects cannot provide immigration documents or proof of U.S. citizenship when asked they can be detained. President Barack Obama is quoted as saying the law threatens to “undermine 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”.

A satisfactory resolution for all parties involved does not seem evident in the future. While a strict immigration policy is needed, the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 violates too many personal rights and meddles with federal policy. The law is obviously targeted at the Hispanic community, despite the fact that they are not the only group of people immigrating to the United States of America. Also Senate Bill 1070 places too much responsibility on law enforcement, and can potentially lead to an escalation of tension between the authorities and immigrants in Arizona, legally and illegally documented. A better immigration law would focus less on existing illegal immigrants and more on border security and prevention of illegal immigration.

The Arizona Immigration Law will continue to make headlines, as it is an important issue of social relevance. Its passage or declination will do much in describing the attitude of Americans towards immigrants, and even Hispanics in general. The rights of illegal immigrants will have to be defined once and for all, and the case will undoubtedly set a precedent for immigration policy of the future.