Illegal immigration to the United States is in violation of US immigration and nationality law. Unsanctioned entry into the United States is a crime under the Immigration and Nationality Act, and those who have entered unlawfully are subject to deportation. Crossing the US border without US government authorization or failing to honor the terms of authorized forms of entry, represents the most common means of violation according to the Wikipedia.
Part I.
Is the government doing enough to protect our boarders from illegal immigration? Which method of the study of the social science would help prove you opinion/perspective and why? (Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, History, Economics, Geology, Psychology, etc.) Though some politicians and key people in the government express their sentiment over the US government’s lack of initiative to address illegal immigration, the government is maximizing its effort against this concern. In a news article by Kranowski, dated October 4, 2007, more than 1,300 illegal immigrants in five Southern California counties were arrested in the past two weeks during one of the nation’s largest immigration sweeps.
The roundup by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was “one of the largest immigration enforcement actions ICE has ever taken,” said the agency’s Assistant Secretary Julie Myers. Myers said the sweep showed the effectiveness of the agency’s Fugitive Operations Program teams. The program has rapidly expanded since its inception, and the number of arrests by ICE fugitive teams doubled in the past year. “Too often in the past those (deportation) orders were ignored and aliens who were deported found ways to slip back into the United States,” Myers said. “Those days are no longer.” There are roughly 597,000 immigration fugitives in the country. That is down to 35,000 from a year ago and the first time that number has declined, Myers said.
A combination of different fields of studies is necessary to better understand illegal immigration, which includes Political Science, Sociology, History, Economics and Psychology. My view is holistic in its approach because the issue of illegal immigration is complex and interrelated. By adopting a holistic approach, one can have a clearer perspective on the totality of the issues and concerns in facing the challenge of illegal immigration in the US.
Part II
What has the American Culture been socialized to think about immigration/ do illegal immigrants weaken or strengthen America? (Discuss the social norms: convention, more, and laws) Which arena has most influenced your thinking about i9llegal immigration? (family, friends, school, church, the media, etc.)
American Culture generally considers the negative impact of immigration which is largely influenced by the media, family and friends. Issues like wage reduction and earnings are the main theme of this impact. The reduction in earnings occurs regardless of whether the immigrants are legal or illegal, permanent or temporary. It is the presence of additional workers that reduces wages and not their legal status.
Part III
Where do undocumented illegal aliens fall in then socio economic hierarchy/ stratification ladder? How has their social mobility been pre-determined in America? What can be done to improve their mobility?
Generally, undocumented illegal aliens fall under the working class hierarchy. The social mobility of undocumented illegal aliens has been pre-determined by way of enforcement and application of laws related to illegal immigration. Their mobility can be improved by making sure that immigrants are well documented and have the skills tantamount to the qualification needed in their job.
Part IV
Have immigrants been discriminated against? If so, in what ways? (de jure, de facto. covert, overt, etc.) Have they fought or adopted to these discrimination/ prejudices?
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the most vulnerable groups in the society are the legal and illegal immigrants who have suffered the brunt of the trends of serious setbacks in the protection of civil and political rights in the United States. Minorities are unfairly targeted through “racial profiling,” a practice used by law enforcement to target inpiduals for suspicion of crime based on race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. In the criminal justice system, minorities are selectively targeted, and disproportionately arrested, charged, indicted, prosecuted and sentenced. Muslims and South Asians have become targets of overt and covert government activity.
Both in principle (de jure) and in application (de facto), immigrants have been discriminated against according to their color, language and ethnical background especially after the 911 attack. Legal and illegal immigrants have fought this discrimination by getting more educated and skilled, and by working their way through the higher echelon in their workplace. Some have just adopted and accepted by ignoring it and proving themselves worthy of their status.
Part V
President Bush proposed legislation (The boarders Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal control Act 2005) to loosen restrictions on illegal aliens and allow them to work and pay and receive social security. Do you consider this policy to be liberal or conservative? Why?
The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal Action Control of 2005 or HR 4437, was a bill in the 109th United States Congress and was sponsored by Wisconsin Republican Jim Sensenbrenner. It was the catalyst for the 2006 US immigrants rights protest and was the first piece of legislation passed by a house of Congress in the United States immigration debate.
Among the criticisms raised by opposition groups are that the proposed legislation might negatively affect over 11 million illegal immigrants and those associated with them, it includes measures which create substantial barriers to community policing, and that it represents the most draconian anti-immigration bill in nearly a century, as mentioned in the Wikipedia. This bill is conservative in the sense that it sets forth guidelines that restricts illegal aliens from working illegally going as far as prohibiting employers from giving aid to an undocumented illegal immigrant worker.
Part VI
If Congress were to pass an immigration reform law that would drastically reduce the number of people here illegally, what public policy would you propose to implement in order to solve the illegal immigration debate? My personal proposition is a public policy that will promote equality and justice. That implies that immigrants have the right to stay here should they follow the legal procedures of residing and working in a democratic country like the US. Law breakers such as the illegal immigrants have to be deported and if needed punished to discourage other people that might want to illegally gain entry to the US.
Works Cited
- Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal Control Act of 2005, 23 October 2007. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HR_4437>
- Illegal Immigration to the US, Wikipedia, 23 October 2007. Krasnowski,
- Kranowski, Matt “About 90 percent of detainees have criminal records,” Copley News Service, 4 October, 2007, retrieved on 23 October 2007.
- Dimming the Beacon of Freedom U.S. Violations of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights – Executive Summary, American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org/intlhumanrights/gen/25937res20060620.html
- The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, 23 October, 2007.