...THE PLAN OF AMNESTY: The Solution to Illegal Immigration Michael Mays ENG 102: Composition II February 10, 2012 The Plan of Amnesty How much would it cost to put 10 Million people in busses or airplanes and ship them back to their countries of origin? Is there a better way to deal with illegal immigration in the United States? Is the answer a strict and enforceable amnesty, allowing illegal immigrants to report themselves in order to achieve legal status, or is mass deportation of the estimated 10 million illegal aliens living in the U.S. the solution? A well laid-out, simplified, yet fair and enforceable amnesty plan could solve the multi-billion dollar battle of amnesty, deportation and illegal immigration. The cost of illegal immigration to the United States is estimated in the billions by numerous news avenues but what are the actual numbers and their impact on the United States? “More than 10 million illegal immigrants live in the United States, and 1,400 more arrive every day” (Katel, 2005). This number seems very high and somewhat scary to people but the truth is that “illegal immigrants only make up about 5 percent of the U.S. work force” (Ketel, 2005). Nonetheless, strong actions have been taken by the government to try to put a stop to illegal immigration. Over the past decade or so, billions of dollars have been spent on border-control measures such as walls, fences, and increasing border patrol personnel. From 1993 to 2004, the federal government quintupled...
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...that a two-party system can benefit everyone. While everyone in America has a vote as to who represents them those representatives are controlled more and more by special interest groups and how much power and money those interests groups control. Two issues that fit right now are the amnesty for illegal immigrants and a higher minimum wage. Both of these issues tie political parties, economic community and special interest groups into the subject. Amnesty for illegal immigrants certainly reaches deep into the heart of public policy because it has to address specific criteria in order to grant access to law abiding illegals. This by itself is rather ironic given illegal immigrants broke the law to enter the United States. Determining who is granted such status is not an easy choice given all of America has an opinion. Some say no amnesty should be granted and the illegals should be deported, requiring them to follow the same guidelines legal immigrants had to abide by. Giving a free pass to some opens the doors to debate why laws are even identified. The other side of this is the funding of such legislation. The question is raised as to who should fund the broad brush of the amnesty. Interestingly, Allen West has pointed out this funding is going to come from the fees that are assessed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (West, 2015). The fees...
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...Unlawful Burden: Cost of Illegal Immigration on Local Government Abstract What is the cost of illegal immigration today on state and local governments? This has become a hot topic at the federal, state and local levels with a wide variety of opinions. This paper will explore both sides of the issue with a closer look at the state and local impact on taxpayers. Cost of Illegal Immigration Today it is estimated that the annual costs of illegal immigration at the federal, state and local level to be nearly $113 billion dollars, with approximately $84 billion dollars being spent on the state and local levels alone. Recent studies have also estimates that taxes collected from illegal alien workers, both in the above-ground economy and in the underground economy do not come close to the amount of current expenditures. The impact of illegal immigrants on the federal budget differs from their effect on state and local budgets primarily because of the types of services provided by each level of government. The federal government while providing some services requires state and local governments to provide certain services to individuals regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay in order for them to participate in federal programs. This has made most states and local governments bear much of the burden to providing education, health care and law enforcement to individuals living in their jurisdiction. Budgetary Effect of Illegal Immigration The Congressional...
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...Time for a Change With over 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, most Americans can agree that our immigration system is definitely broken. The problem is that we cannot agree on how this system should be fixed. On April 23, 2010, the Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, decided that she would attempt a solution to the problem. She signed into law one of the nation’s toughest bills focused on illegal immigration in her state. This law re-ignited the immigration debate all across the United States and brought out many protestors from both sides. Some of the issues at hand are amnesty, healthcare costs, and the increasing crime that illegal immigrants bring into our country. To begin with, does amnesty encourage illegal immigration? Secondly, what does it do to our already fragile health care system? Thirdly, what kinds of crimes are being committed by some illegal immigrants? In my opinion we need to do whatever we can to secure our borders and only allow those who come in legally into our country. Amnesty, in the case of illegal immigrants, is to grant legal status to those who have entered our country illegally. It forgives the fact that they have entered the country illegally, and forgives other illegal acts such as driving and working using false documents. In 1986 under President Ronald Reagan, our country granted what was supposed to be a “one time only” amnesty for approximately 2.7 million illegal aliens. At that time, Congress also enacted a new set of...
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...policy in the United States, namely in Texas, is a great source of controversy amongst lawmakers and the public. An immigrant is a “person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another” (ProQuest). America currently has about 11.5 million illegal immigrants living within its borders (Passel). With this large of a population, immigrants do have an impact on the population and the laws for how to deal with them must be updated. There is a large number of the illegal immigrants working for cash, sharing houses, avoiding taxes, and still sending their children to public schools, and driving on the roads that citizen’s tax money pays for. Currently the law on illegal immigrants is mostly black and white stating that it is a crime to be in the country illegally. However, if the government updates the system to help naturalize them lawfully, states and the immigrants both have a potential to benefit. There are many factors contributing to the immigration of illegal immigrants into Texas. The majority of these immigrants are from Central America through the border shared with Mexico. There are push and pull factors causing them to move here. “The report from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops identifies poverty, paucity of educational opportunities, the urge to join family already in the U.S., and the fear of growing crime as powerful factors propelling immigrants northward” (Millman). In a report from the United Nations, “homicide rates increased in five out of eight countries...
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...in our region. Since the 60s, a lot has changed regarding the laws of global immigration; America went from a country with few restrictions and deportation laws to one with a very selective and intensive process. Profiling and suspicion of communism were the few main reasons for deportation in the early 60s. From 1965 to 2005 with the establishments of laws such as “Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965” all the way to “REAL ID Act” in 2005 the process of immigration has vastly changed from a legal standpoint. During this time period laws were put in place to restrict certain immigrants from entering the US, and giving those who did, strict punishments. Hiring these migrants was made illegal and if identified they were deported almost immediately. Amnesty was given to a certain group of immigrants in 1986 (Immigration Reform and Control Act) to deal with the overwhelming increase of illegal immigrants. Many people migrated to the US seeking asylum, which led to the “REAL ID Act” which...
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...Illegal Immigrants Hurt our Economy Our nation has often been referred to as a “melting pot”, which is one of the many great things about America. Many people come here for a better life for them and their families and everyone deserves the freedoms and opportunities that America has to offer. As a great nation, laws are in place for the greater cause of our people, meaning that lawbreakers are typically punished and dealt with accordingly; However, it doesn’t seem to hold much truth in today’s immigration laws. Today’s economy is hurting more than ever. With our growing unemployment rate, and our depleting funds, it doesn’t make much sense to keep letting the economy and it’s legal citizens suffer because of lawbreakers. Illegal immigrants are hurting our economy by taking unrightful employment, placing a financial burden on the economy, and lowering the social system of the United States. Illegal Immigrants take the jobs that should be given to our legal citizens. As a result, many American citizens are losing their jobs, while many others are competing for the jobs that illegal immigrants hold illegally.“ Some research estimates that nearly two million Americans a year are displaced by immigration” (Federation for American 2). With Americans losing their jobs at that rate and being replaced by the growing number of illegal immigrants, the...
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...young illegal Philippine immigrant faces when living in the United States of America. He tells a little of his cultural background and much of his personal history of living in fear of being caught by the U.S. government for his illegal status. He tells of his great accomplishments while living in America and how he loves the United States and wants to become a legal citizen. Although, many Americans believe that undocumented immigrants are a threat to the United States society, this young man shows that not all illegal immigrants are violent or cause threats to social order. Throughout the story, the question of, “What will happen if people find out?” plays a significant role in the way the author goes about living his life. The cultural and personal histories of the author of “Outlaw” show significance within aspects of obtaining legal American citizenship and being able to work in the United States, the authors accomplished works, and his feelings throughout the text. “The minority threat perspective argues that prejudice and intergroup hostility are largely defensive reactions to perceived threats by subordinate groups,” such as illegal immigrants within the United States (Wang 2). Americans believe that illegal immigrants cause crime rates to soar and that communities in which undocumented aliens live are violent and disorderly. It has been proven that there is no statistical connection between crime rates and illegal immigrants. Studies show that areas of high illegal immigrant...
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...twelve million immigrants living within America's borders, which all together consists of just over three-hundred million people. Moreover, 11.4 million of them are here undocumented. Illegal immigration in the United States, remains one of the biggest controversial issues. Many Americans postulate that granting citizenship to undocumented immigrants will only worsen, and contribute to America's over-population dilemma. Immigrants are quickly neglected by Americans, that accuse them of generating criminal actions, embezzlement of American jobs and taking advantage of American dollars. However, these absent minded individuals overlook the facts. Immigrants are hardworking and tax paying individuals, who struggle on a daily basis for...
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...Villa Toca Gina Perkins English 1301 Co.7 7 April 2014 Illegal Immigration with Mexico If you were in a situation where migrating to another country would be the best thing to do, what would you do? A lot of issues surge when dealing with immigration in the United States. We all are considered immigrants because a long time ago back when Columbus discovered this land in 1942 Europeans came in and took over the land where Native Americans had been living for many years. In other words every white in America is descendant from immigrants of some other country but yet there are people in USA that say Mexicans don’t have the right to immigrate. It’s very ironic that such people say that, it’s like saying, there are two immigrants and one says to another “You don’t have the right to immigrate, only I do.” There is a range of positive and negative aspects of immigration. Weather one should take a side for either against it or not, it’s up to oneself to decide. The definition of an immigrant or illegal alien is best summarized as a person coming in to a different country and settling without the countries permission to stay. ------------------------------------------------- The question, should amnesty be given to illegal immigrants?, Brings up a lot of controversy in all of USA. Mexican immigrants are willing to work out in fields picking crops, cleaning houses, bus tables, etc. all these jobs are jobs that immigrants are very eager to do so, even at minimum wage pay. A lot...
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...305 Public Sector Management Instructor: Professor Paola Brooks October, 14, 2011 University of Mary Washington I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this work. Different Aspects on Immigration Policies The debate about U.S.A having a better protected border is a common issue well known by all of us. The border is assaulted everyday with hundreds maybe thousands of illegal immigrants hard working or not, educated or illiterate, but also tons of drugs who go straight to our streets destroying millions of families over the years. A better protected border is imperative. My personal intention is not to discuss about the immigration issues in general, but rather cope with the much intriguing problem of a better immigration policy and how it relates with the current political trends. The U.S.A. need well prepared and hard working individuals, that will be the pylon of a healthy economy, but first we need a better policy to support it. The need for extra work and extra taxes can be nourished from the already present illegal immigrants we have, as well a good program for bringing new trained individuals interested in living the 'American dream'. "Instead of 'enforcement only', we should offer unauthorized immigrants a chance to come forward, register, pay a fine, learn English, pass background checks, and legalize their status" (Waslin, 2010, p.3). The problem remains in how these issues will...
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...Illegal Immigration Bogdan Tkachuk HIST 174 Florida Hospital College of Health Science Abstract Immigration Throughout history immigration has populated and changed countries. Since the beginning of civilization, Immigration has spread ideas, beliefs, and cultures to many different countries. Furthermore, it has also made the United States of America what it is today. Immigrants come to the United States for many different reasons. Many come for another chance or a new beginning. Others come for jobs and money, to escape a war, education, or just for freedom. All immigrants come for the hope of living the “American Dream” as a citizen of the United States. The 14th amendment in the Constitution of the United States defines citizenship as “all persons born or naturalized in the United States” (The Constitution of the United States). Many immigrants come into America legally with the required papers, but others sneak past the borders illegally. However, over the past few years immigration into the United States has increased dramatically and is turning into a very big problem to many. Even though the United States of America were established by immigrants many Americans are against the immigration policy in the United States, some accept it and encourage it, and others want to give everyone an equal opportunity. The fact that immigration into the United States has greatly increased over the past few years worries many all across America. These people...
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...Gray Area Immigration has been an ongoing topic in the United States for a number of years. Back in the day, immigrants were coming from all over the world and nothing could really be done about it. Specifically, in 1907 there was an informal arrangement agreed upon between the United States and Japan. The “Gentleman’s Agreement” as it was called stated that Japan would stop immigration into the states especially California where a segregation issue began with the Chinese, Japanese and Korean children. Even though the agreement was informal, it fixed the issue for the time being. In today’s society we are not only dealing with mass illegal immigration but also adding in the potential of violent gang members in the mix, makes it a little more complicated. Issue number 7 in Taking Sides: Clashing views on Latin American Issues, sets up each side of the spectrum with valid and convincing points. The question asked, should illegal immigrant gang members be grated legal clemency from U.S. law, and is a tough one to answer. At first, one would say no because they are committing a crime because they are illegally in the U.S. and on top of that they are bringing in gang related violence into the mix. As an overview Greg Campbell’s article, “Death by Deportation” spoke about the story of Edgar Chocoy. Chocoy lived a troubled childhood and ultimately joined, what came to become an infamous gang, the Mara Salvatrucha controlled his life the second he made eye contact with an existing...
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...Argumentative Research Paper DO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HELP OR HURT THE ECONOMY There are several people who exist in this country, who are legally unwelcomed, but they find a way to maneuver themselves into the economy. These people are known as illegal immigrants. They do not follow the established legal migration procedures of this country and resides in this country without proper visas or other documents (Illegal Immigrants). Illegal immigrants are sometimes referred to as illegal aliens or undocumented workers. Though many people may dismiss illegal immigrants as a strain on the economy because they take American jobs, increase the U.S crime rates and drain health care resources; illegal immigrants contribute to the economy as workers, taxpayers, and consumers. The first invasion of illegal immigrants, into the United States was during World War II. Countless, Americans left the Country and went overseas to fight for the freedom of our nation. Several Mexicans saw this as an opportunity and illegally entered the United States to take advantage of employment opportunities, especially as agricultural laborers. “Most of those who worked in the farm fields of California during the 1930’s were illegal immigrants known as Okies, a term applied collectively to the hundreds of thousands of migrants who poured out of not only Oklahoma but also Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado. By the end of World War II, there were close to two million illegal immigrants living in California,...
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...immigration has become a hot topic in American culture. Since September 11, 2001, the concern for security at our nation’s borders is higher than ever. The threat of another attack lies imminent in the country’s mind. With the increase in concern for border security comes the issue of how to approach and handle the illegal immigration epidemic that is currently affecting the United States. We should first look back at the Roman Empire to give us a better understanding of the problems and solutions of immigration. There are astonishing similarities between the rise of the United States and power and the upsurge of Roman Republic. (Pagdan) These likenesses are not due to the specific character of both states, rather there is a common pattern in the development of every powerful state and the United States and Rome are examples of this pattern. The effects that immigration has on the United States are limitless. There have been endless debates over these effects since as early as the colonial times. The economic, fiscal and demographic effects are three major topics that tend to rule these debates. Regardless on someone’s political view of immigration, everyone should realize how it has and is shaping the United States today. The economic, fiscal and demographic effects are three major topics that tend to rule the debates on immigration and its laws. It is without a doubt that the United States was founded on immigration and its many contributions over the years. The dilemma that...
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