...Business, Government and Society | Singapore, A Nation of Immigrants | | | CONTENTS Introduction 3 - 5 1.1 Background 3 - 4 1.2 Identification of Issues 4 - 5 1.3 Current Situation 5 Stakeholder Analysis 6 - 7 Why are Foreigners Needed in Singapore? 8 - 10 3.1 Government Perspective 8 - 9 3.1.1An Ethical Perspective 9 - 10 3.2 Businesses’ Perspective 10 The Need to Address the Issue 10 Existing Government Actions 11 - 13 * 5.1 Implementations 11 5.2 Approach in Issue Management Through Implementations 12 - 13 5.3 Analysis of Government Policies 13 Recommendations 14 - 17 * 6.1 Government’s Perspective 14 - 15 6.2 Businesses’ Perspective15 - 16 6.3 Society’s Perspective 17 Conclusion 18 References 19 - 20 Appendices Appendix A: Compiled comments from citizens regarding their concerns on foreigners 1. INTRODUCTION 2.1 Background Singapore’s long history of immigration started from the 2nd century AD when the first settlers arrived on the island. Since then, the country has grown and is now a melting pot of approximately 5 million people made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians, Asians of various descents, and Caucasians. As shown in Figure 1, the number of foreigners working and studying in Singapore makes up roughly 37% of the entire population in 2010. (Singapore Department of Statistics, 2010) In August 2001, then PM Goh Chock Tong urged Singaporeans to accept the increasing number of foreigners in the city...
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...Illegal Mexican Immigrants and Their Life in California There are many negative stereotypes of illegal Mexican immigrants. Many Americans don’t like the idea that illegal immigrants don’t pay many forms of taxes. Because of their undocumented legal status, we don’t have much information about their background. Their presence in the society creates uncertainty. They are seen as a factor of social instability. Many Americans also blame them for the taking over jobs. However, the reality is that California is becoming more and more dependent on its illegal Mexican immigrant population. These illegal immigrants from Mexico are a reliable source of low cost labor for California. They take the low paid, seasonal, menial and physically demanding jobs that the U.S. citizens are not willing to take. They stabilize the economy of California by keeping the labor cost low, thus keeping a lid on the inflation rate. They contribute to the government by paying sales tax directly and income tax at least indirectly. They are not here to enjoy benefits, as they are not eligible for most public assistance. The vast majority of them are here in California for work and better life. They are peaceful being and they work very hard to earn their place. The reality shows that illegal Mexican immigrants bring substantial positive impacts to California not only economically but also culturally. The huge number of illegal Mexican workers shows us their ethic of hard work and the importance of love for...
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...Mexican immigration to the U.S (2)Ever since the 1890’s, immigrants have come from many countries, especially Mexico, all the way to the U.S. They came looking for jobs, wealth, safe places to live, and more. Around the 1920’s, Americans encouraged the immigration of these people, mostly because the south needed the cheap labor for their farms and plantations. They were even excluded from the immigration act in 1924 that put quotas on how many immigrants from certain countries could come into the U.S. Mexican-Americans are very important to the U.S. society, economy, and overall stability. (3)The first Mexican migration was not to the U.S., instead, it was from the U.S. After the Mexican-American war in 1846, the United States annexed off...
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...Are Immigrants Stealing U.S. Jobs? Are Immigrants Stealing U.S. Jobs? Jimmy Santiago Baca’s poem, So Mexicans Are Taking Jobs from Americans, deals with the ignorance of Americans about immigrants, Mexicans especially, coming to the U.S. and stealing jobs from American workers. Baca has another piece of literature that touches on the same subject called, Immigrants in Our Own Land. Undocumented workers are a growing problem here in the U.S., but the claim that illegal immigrants are taking U.S. citizen’s jobs is simply not true. Immigrants come to America with the hopes of living the American dream. They seek opportunities that are not available to them in their home country. Most of these people have a hard time finding that opportunity to live a better life. The jobs that Mexican immigrants do find are almost always jobs that Americans won’t take because they feel they are too good for the job. Mexican immigrants want a better standard of living so they will take any job available or that is offered to them. As a result, they take labor-intensive jobs and work for cheap wages, while the rest of the unemployed American population sits on their butts living off welfare. Mexicans are being treated unfairly for just trying to make better lives for themselves and their families. Americans are blaming immigrants and undocumented workers for their problems in not being able to find a job. Instead, we need to look in the mirror and understand how lazy and ignorant...
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...Your book review assignment is to 1) read Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz’s ethnography, Labor and Legality, and 2) write a book review by 11am, November 3rd. 1. The point of a review is to take a position with respect to the book and to present a cogent, all-argued paper. Depth, originality and critical thinking in your arguments will be important part of grading. You should use concepts we have been discussing in class (structural violence, colonialism, etc.) to guide your argument. However, the concept of the paper is open-ended. Please develop your thoughts based on the book Labor and Legality. 1. A quality paper will have a strong analysis that draws from concepts learned from the book and also from class. Your arguments should be supported by proper evidence from the book. In other words, your thoughts must be fully engaged with the reading. Thus, proper citations, a clear structure, and also format requirements listed below would be important. 1. Format requirement. 1) Your review should be 3-5 pages (with a separate references cited page), which is a small adjustment from the syllabus. You will still need to use 1-inch margins, double-spaced, 12-point font. 2) Please review the section of the syllabus labeled “2” under “expectations” for information on academic integrity. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Use in-text citations per the Chicago Style Manual when directly quoting or paraphrasing an author and make sure to include a “works cited” section. If there is any...
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...issues faced in an U.S. company with a large percentage of immigrant Latino workers and the resulting interaction with their original Anglo workforce. There are numerous cultural misunderstandings in this case study between Anglo and Latino workforce. The Human Resource Department is unclear how to address the issues facing in the company. The restroom One of the cultural challenges that company is facing is soiled toilet paper scattered or piled all over the plant’s bathroom floors. In Mexico and other Latin American countries, the sewer or wastes pipes leading from the building are usually small in diameter compared with U.S. standards. In addition, the water pressure or volume generated is also less and toilets are much more prone to clogging. Individuals are taught at an early age to dispose their used toilet tissue into the basket provided. It is very much possible that restrooms at the company sites do not provide waster basket for used toilet tissues disposal. Or there is no sign in the restroom to let Latino workers know that their toilets have plenty of horsepower to flush away anything. Banking The Mexican banking system is much different than most Anglo Americans are used to. Mexicans distrust banking system due to history of corruption in Mexico. Many of them choose to keep their money in their house. Furthermore, many Mexican immigrants, in fact, immigrants in the U.S. are illegal immigrants or immigrants who lack traditional documents such as a driver’s license...
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...publisher of legal books and immigration guides. The U.S. immigrant support provides the most current information on immigration to the United States. This is an independent organization that provides free access to a database of immigration related news and articles. This media reaction will explain the current immigration political issues related to this article. Many Mexicans immigration work in the United States to help support their families south of the border. The money that these immigrants earn makes a huge impact on the Mexican economy. The National Population Council of Mexico estimates that one in 10 Mexican families is dependent upon money sent home from Mexican workers in the U.S. In October 1994 the Immigration and Naturalization Services launched Operation Gatekeeper to crack down on people entering the country through San Diego, California. This Gatekeeper forced immigrants to cross through the Imperial Desert. Several thousand had died along the U.S. Mexico border since this operation. Mexican had drowned in canals and rivers and had died of dehydration. In July 2001, the Mexican President Vicente Fox asked President Bush to consider granting legal status to three million undocumented Mexicans. U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez backed the bill that would legalize immigrants who could prove U.S. residence since 1996. Political issue after September 11, 2001, U.S. officials told the Mexican government that because the terrorism fears the immigration...
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...Although the laws exiled and "prohibited from entering the U.S included all Asians, illiterates, prostitutes, criminals, idiots, and paupers" but, unlike them, Mexicans in the last 1920s could freely migrate into the United States (p. 27). Mexicans were the focal point of U.S. immigration law enforcement when Border Patrol officers disrupted their authority on border crossings keep any big number of Mexican laborers out of United States. Hernandez shows how the first Border Patrol came mostly from these poor Anglo experiences and had a labor competition. The Border Patrol also seemed to have absorbed an important number of former Texans and only many of them had a suspicion on Mexicans with them to the federals. Bases on the key examples in "Migra! A History of The U.S Border Patrol" Hernandez victoriously explains the Mexican and U.S governments policies to manage the migration of all the immigrants between their...
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...“America was founded on immigrants. The immigrant experience is common to us all.” (Nia Vardalos) It is true that America was founded on immigrants. Most Americans have relatives that immigrated here to the U.S. Each had their own reason, whether that be in search of wealth, freedom, a fresh start and more. Life for the immigrants in the late 1800’s was extremely difficult. Immigrants either arrived through Ellis Island or Angel Island. Ellis Island was located in the East coast while Angel Island was located in the west coast. The U.S. received a huge amount of immigrants in the 1860s and the 1890s (Cayton, et. al., 299). Steam powered ships played a huge role in the 1800s. These ships could cross the Atlantic Ocean in two to three weeks....
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...of cheap and ‘unskilled’ labor, circular migration, importation-deportation and institutional involvement. What we see in the early 1900s is that the Mexican immigrant population was exploited as a source of flexible, low-cost labor that could be imported and deported freely. This meant that when the U.S. required more sources of cheap labor, they would import Mexican workers and deport them when the labor was no longer needed. This led to this form of circular migration where Mexican immigrants were brought over during WW I when we needed labor and then deported during the Great Depression followed by importation during WW II when the U.S. required more workers due to another labor shortage. This led to institutional involvement from the U.S. Department of State, Labor, and Justice, which formed the Braceros Program. This allowed for the temporary importation of contract laborers from Mexico to the U.S. I believe that of all these forces, the importation and deportation of cheap and ‘unskilled’ labor played the biggest role in creating and shaping Mexican migration to the United States. What we see with this trend of importing and deporting Mexicans is that the U.S. brings in and removes Mexican immigrants when they are no longer beneficial. This seems to be the primary theme in which Mexican migration was built upon. Mexicans were viewed as cheap and unskilled labor brought in to work in the factories and fields, which can be considered to be undesirable jobs. This is evident...
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...believe that America relies on both legal and illegal immigrants to boost our economy and help our nation become more universal. My research presents the other side of this argument, by showing how illegal immigration has actually threatened our nation’s economy and culture more so than anything else. I originally agreed with Anna Quindlen, after reading her essay; all of her points describing the economic benefits America receives by employing undocumented workers seemed reasonable and accurate. Her plea states that they are just regular people in search of work, trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. I’m sure this is true in a lot of cases but unfortunately, there are more repercussions for allowing illegal immigrants to stay in our country than what meets the eye. Yes, it is true that these Mexican workers will take jobs that Americans turn down and yes, they will do them for cheaper. So in that sense, yes, illegal workers do benefit our economy, “but what is good for corporate America is not necessarily what is good for Middle America (Buchanan 49).” Simply paying taxes and filling lower income jobs such as farmhands, construction workers, and maids does not outweigh the drainage that the illegal immigrants put on our healthcare, welfare, schools, prisons, etc. The National Bureau of Economic Research put the cost of immigration at $80 billion in 1995, and matters have only gotten worse. Immigrants’ use of food stamps, Supplemental Security Incomes...
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...Response – Labor and Legality The book Labor and Legality: An Ethnography of a Mexican Immigrant Network, by Ruth Gomberg-Munoz, seeks to explain the condition of the Mexican immigrants, and their difficulties. The author presents a situation that has been growing through the years and has developed a view about the Mexican, as the ‘illegal’ or ‘undocumented workers’ that come from Mexico to work in America. In the book, Gomberg-Munoz tries to organize a complete understanding of the undocumented life, rather than arguing over the status of illegal workers, which is already big issue. Therefore, Gomberg-Munoz’s main thesis revolves around the idea that undocumented workers try hard to improve their quality of life by finding employment in the United States even though the illegal status affects their daily life, which limits opportunities. Gomberg-Muñoz presents an insight into the lives of these undocumented Mexican workers. They share their stories of crossing the border, the affects of their absence on family back in Mexico, and the daily struggles of living in a country without the benefits of citizenship. Most of these problems are actually exist in any kind of undocumented immigrants, and in my opinion, being an undocumented immigrant is a choice. I think that if a person chooses or needs to move to a different country with the conscious of being illegal and lonely he or she should take the responsibility for that because...
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...The Repatriation of Mexicans during the 1930 Waldorf College BUS 4000- Organization Diversity Inclusions ABSTRACT This paper discusses the repatriation of Mexicans during the 1930s. President Herbert Hoover authorized a program between 1929 and 1939, were many Mexican Americans were repatriated to Mexico. The purpose was to free up jobs during the Depression. There is an estimate of 500,000 to 2 million Mexicans that were repatriated during the Great Depression. This paper will explore the states most affected by the repatriation as well as the impact it had on the U.S. and Mexican economy. The Repatriation of Mexicans during the 1930s Mexican Americans were hit extremely hard in The Great Depression of the 1930s. They were faced with being deported due to the job crisis and food shortages that affected all U.S. workers. As unemployment swept the U.S., hostility to immigrant workers grew, and the government began a program of repatriating immigrants to Mexico (Depression and the Struggle for Survival). Police and other authorities forced some to go but others left voluntarily. Many that were repatriated had never even been to Mexico and many of those deported to Mexico were American citizens born in the U.S. In a shameful episode in the nation's history, more than 400,000 were sent across the U.S.-Mexico border from Arizona, California, and Texas. President Hoover found himself on the defensive from labor unions. To appease them, he told Secretary of State William...
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...Illegal Immigrants – They’re Money By Gregory Rodriguez [1] Dan Stein, the premier American nativist and president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, is shocked, shocked. He's mad at Bank of America for issuing credit cards to illegal immigrants. He says that to BofA "and other large corporations, illegal immigrants are a source of low-wage labor and an untapped customer market." You bet they are, and that's the American way. [2] Sure, I'm proud to be a citizen of a nation that portrays itself as a refuge for the "tired," "the poor" and the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." But let's face it, Emma Lazarus, the poet who wrote those words, may have laid it on a bit thick. The truth, no less beautiful in its way, is a little more crass and self-serving. But it wouldn't have sounded nearly as poetic to say, "bring us your able-bodied, poor, hardworking masses yearning for a chance to climb out of poverty, establish a credit history and…. " We all love to rhapsodize about immigrants' embrace of the American dream, but it's more like a hard-nosed American deal — you come here, you work your tail off under grueling conditions, and you can try your damnedest to better your lot over time. [3] In their generational struggle for acceptance and security, from outsider to insider and, dare I say, from exploited to exploiter, immigrants could avail themselves of those inalienable rights that stand at the core of our national political philosophy — life, liberty and...
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...Illegal Immigration and Border Policy In recent years, Illegal immigration has been a contemporary political and social debate. It has been the platform of many politicians, especially in the southwest, and it is often a popular subject in news media. People in favor of strict immigration policy often claim that illegal immigrants are costly to the American economy and that they take American jobs. The border control policy is ineffective, it is often too costly for its effectiveness. Border policies have increased the number of immigrant deaths in the deserts of border states. Not only that but the US/Mexico border is harmful to the environment. The anti-immigration policy that's currently in effect goes against a rich cultural history in North America. Lastly, popular arguments made for strict immigration will be brought to light. In 2006, George W. Bush signed H.R. 6061, also known as the Secure Fence Act, in an attempt to increase border security and expand the US/Mexico Border. Prompted by heightened national security measures after 9/11, the bill was designed to "help protect the American people" and marked " an important step toward immigration reform" (Bush 2006). The bill doubled funding for border security, increasing expenditures from $4.6 billion in 2001 to $10.4 billion in 2006. This money went to "[authorize] the construction of hundreds of miles of additional fencing along our Southern border" and to "[deploy] thousands of National Guard members to assist...
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