Immigration is a subject that has been a touchstone for political debate in the country for decades, with various administrations taking different approaches to tackle it, although the efforts made have had little impact. In deliberating on immigration reform, the policymakers have to take into consideration and balance competing concerns such as national security, economic progress, humanitarian crisis as well as social amenities available for the immigrants. The congress has been unable to develop an effective solution to the immigration crisis that the nation has been facing; more so from the south where large numbers of immigrants are fleeing their countries in pursuit of the proverbial American dream. President Donald Trump has since his election made several pledges to curb illegal immigration which he believes poses a security threat to the citizens, by proposing to build the border wall with Mexico, a move that has been widely criticized. The purpose of this paper is to examine why it is crucial for America to implement improved immigration law in order to reign in illegal immigration.
Immigration which refers to the movement of people across international borders to new states where they are not natives is not a new phenomenon in U.S taking into consideration that immigrants make up 14% of the country’s total population (Heer, 23). The United States as a nation owes its success and progress through the years, to its progressive immigration laws and adherence to the dictates of the constitution, which made sure that it did not shut its doors to immigrants seeking refuge within its borders. The immigrants from the early years of independence to the recent decades have continued to have a profound impact on the country’s growth and prosperity, taking into consideration that they bring with them the desire to achieve the American Dream (Heer, 23). The dream which is based on the understanding that through hard work and commitment, an individual can rise through the ranks, gain considerable amount of wealth, has seen people from around the world perceive U.S as the land of opportunity.
The number of people seeking refuge and asylum in the U.S has risen drastically, with the most recent episode been the caravan comprising of several thousands of people who have been trekking from countries such as Honduras, and with their ultimate destination been the United States (Heer, 23). The current administration has been keen on eliminating any incidences of illegal immigrants from entering the country even if this means violating due process and the rights of the refugee seekers, with the government alluding that the immigrants are a security threat (Heer, 23). Divisions have started emerging within the general public which in comparison to the past, believes that the country is not in a position to accommodate additional numbers of immigrants since they will put a strain on the meager employment opportunities and social amenities (Bustillo , n.p). However, the democrats and liberals have been keen on pushing for the acceptance of all immigrants who arrive at the country’s borders, and the reforming of the immigration law.
Numerous reforms have been made through the years with the intent of easing the process of immigration and making their settlement in the country easier. For instance, the Obama administration through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was able to give reprieve and a long sought victory to the individuals who were brought to the country as illegal immigrants since they would be given a two year period of deferred action from deportation, as well as get work permits (Moore, 12). The legislation provided a leeway through which all illegal immigrants especially children who are undocumented, get a chance to citizenship and work which would help improve their lives and help them improve their standards of living. The Trump administration has in turn undertaken to reverse the gains made through the issuance of Executive Order 13769, which reduced the number of refugees that the country could accept within one year to 50,000 and made it mandatory for immigration cases to be handled on a case to case basis (Moore, 12).
The adoption of the Executive Orders by President Trump brings to a standstill the immigration process at the border, with the various security forces such as the border patrol tasked with making sure that prevent entry of refugees into the country at all costs (Kerwin, 541). The process of seeking asylum and refuge in the country has become more difficult over the last two years since acts which had through the years allowed immigrants to enter the nation after their countries went through crisis such as temporary protected status has been brought to an end and the Trump administration is phasing out DACA(Kerwin, 541). The aftermath of the actions to scale down the number of immigrants allowed, has been a boiling immigration crisis which is unlikely to end any time soon since more people are still camping at the borders and pushing for their admission.
Immigration reform although hard because of the numerous interests that the policymakers have to take into consideration, it is notable that it is not impossible. The various people who come into the U.S are driven from their countries by the promise of freedom and opportunity that the nation offers and the broken immigration system which denies immigrants at the borders entry, separates families and exposes children and vulnerable people to adversities, negates the values U.S espouses (Moore, 12). There is a need to make sure that the congress and policymakers work together to reform the current immigration policy, and in the process make sure that it reflects the values of fairness and equality that define U.S (Moore, 12). The number of immigrants both documented and undocumented in the country has been on a steady rise, and it is time that the government become proactive in addressing the immigration menace by creating a pathway through which all undocumented immigrants can achieve citizenship.
The immigration policy should take into consideration the hardships that the immigrants have to endure to access the nation’s borders as well as the myriad of challenges they face as illegal immigrants who in coming into the country violated the immigration laws (Kerwin, 541). The founding fathers of the nation in their independence declaration stated that Americans have the right to pursue happiness, liberty and life, and it is thus a contravention of this declaration when the immigration officers violate the rights of refugees, whether at the border or within the boundaries of U.S (Moore, 12). The naturalization process which is espoused in the Naturalization Act of 1790 and which prohibits citizenship for any individual who is not white and has not been in the country for at least two year period, needs to be amended to reflect changing times(Kerwin, 541). A large percentage of the people who are making a significant impact in the nation are immigrants who got the opportunity to make a difference in their life, and such an act limits access to citizenship for all people of color and minorities which is outright discrimination.
Conclusion
There is no single person who lives their motherland because it has all necessary amenities, liberties and freedoms to immigrate into another nation. The immigrants both legal and illegal that the U.S has been receiving in the recent years are a result of deteriorating conditions in their countries, war, and natural epidemics that threaten their survival, and the least that the government can do is to ease the process of naturalization them and citizenship. According to Constable, (n.p) the immigrants although likely to place a strain on the nation’s resources, they will in turn provide much needed labor, innovation and skills that can help sustain the United States prosperity.
Work cited
Bustillo, M. The nation; COLUMN ONE; he's not on their side now; evaristosilva came to the U.S. illegally to chase the american dream. now a citizen and farm owner, he sees a need to restrict immigration. Los Angeles Times. (2006, Jun 21). Retrieved from http://lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.lscsproxy2.lonestar.edu/docview/422060700?accountid=7054, Accessed October 3, 2018
Constable, Pamela. "Opened Doors Spark Fears of Job Competition." The Washington Post, Jun 16, 2012, pp. A.1. ProQuest, lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.lscsproxy2.lonestar.edu/docview/1020639075?accountid=7054, Accessed October 2, 2018
Heer, David. Immigration in America's future: Social science findings and the policy debate. Routledge, 2018. 23. Retrieved from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429968471
Kerwin, Donald. "Moving Beyond Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Trump: Principles, Interests, and Policies to Guide Long-Term Reform of the US Immigration System." J. on Migration " Hum. Sec. 5 (2017): 541.
Moore, Kathleen M. "US immigration reform and the meaning of responsibility." Immigration (2017): 12.
