Legal Immigration
Introduction
The September, 11 2001 terrorist attack affected many issues and perspectives, including immigration. The terrorists were foreign-born who took part in the deadly attack that killed 974 civilians. The terrorists came into America through student visas and tourist visa. Some of them were illegal aliens who had violated the terms of immigration. This scenario depicted the short falls of the system of US immigration. These failures include lack of information sharing and internal enforcement as well as visa processing.
The Senate and the House of Representative in 2006 discussed at the congress the issue of immigration reform; each party presenting bills that were conflicting. The Anti-terrorism, Border Protection, and Illegal Immigration Control act in 2005.
The acts have been effective in setting the limit of immigrants of 700,000 which comprises of immediate family, employment, and family preference. A small proportion is on special visa and the diversity provision. The immigrants gain citizenship statues after five years. The number of illegal immigrants by 2000 was at the peak with over 1 million but was reduced to 5000,000 individuals in 2009. The Illegal immigrants comprise individuals who their stay in America has expired according to the time limit of their visa. The category of legal immigrants includes individuals who were former illegal immigrants and have passed background check and legal application (Murshed, 2002, pp119-200).
The available immigrant visa for Mexico and Philippines is only for the immediate dependent family. Many more siblings, children and adults are on the waiting to in their close relatives in the US. Some applied way back in 1994. Family reunification has been the driving force of US immigration since 1960 but the policy has led to the current controversy as to whether the system is the source of illegal immigrants to the country or if it is tenable in the long term duration.
The Immigration and Refugee Law policy is the source of the controversy. This policy aims at reuniting spouses, children, and close relative but at the same time it is forcing people to migrate into the country illegally.
Research question
Should legal immigrant’s lives and future be regulated by USCIS (United States Center for Immigration Services) stringent laws and regulations?
It is the duty of the USCIS to control the future and lives of legal immigrants to avoid more cases of illegal immigrants into the country.
The Background
The movement of non citizens of America in the country is called immigration. This movement has led to great population growth into this country. Another consequence of population growth is a change of culture which contributes to the formation of American history. Political, social, and economic aspects of immigration have lead to controversial views regarding economic benefit employment for the citizens, ethnicity, and voting and crime behavior. More Legal immigrants were accepted into the United States in 2006 to gain permanent residency. The US recorded the highest number of immigrants of 300 million compared to other countries of the world (Xinhua, 2006).
The population of legal immigrants into the United States had quadrupled by 2007. Since the enactment of immigration policy in 1945, the number of immigrants in 1970 shot from 9.6 million to 38 million by 2007. A 2008 report indicated that 1,046, 539 persons were neutralized. Countries that highly lead in emigrating were India, Mexico and Philippines (Lee & Rytina 2009).
The United States has in many ways developed by the new immigrant’s despites the challenges that come along with population increase. The immigrants have proved to be hard working, adventurous and restless. Thus, the residents have drawn spirit and strength from them. The increasing number of immigrants has also been facilitated by the cheap air transport fee into the United States. However, the process of migration is still an expensive and dangerous process for those who want to come into the country through illegal means.
The current debates on immigration aim at increasing the power of the current laws and enforcement to prevent and control illegal migrants. Therefore, reforms include a program for short term workers and establishing a barrier of 3, 200 km along United States- Mexico border. By April 2010, few of the debate proposals had been enacted as laws. The anti-illegal immigration that was soon passed has affected the tourists into the country and they are calling to boycott. President Obama in regard to the reaction of the tourists says s that it threatens to under grade the fairness that Americans cherishes. The citizens (60%) and seventy percent of the Arizonians holds the opinion that the police have a right to stop individuals and verify their immigration status. Other states like New York, Los Angeles, San Franscico and Washington have banned the polices from making inquiries about the immigration status of residents through sanctuary ordinance (Salvi, 2010)
United States Center for Immigration Services
The Center for Immigration Service in the United States has the responsibility of administering naturalization and immigration through establishment of policies, setting priorities, and adjudication of naturalization. Legal immigrants include authorized persons like refugees. The law may also be authorized reasons for employment, LTR and LPR. The refugees are recognized by the Law of the United Nations. They cannot return to their homeland because of fear of conflicts and prosecution due to their political opinion, nationality, and religion, member of a social group or nationality.
Every legal immigrant is given consent by the US citizenship and Immigration Service or by the State department. Legal immigrants include individuals provided by a visa from abroad and those who have shifted their status from being temporary residents to being a permanent US citizen. Special Permission is given to those whose entrance is considered to be of public interest or those entering the US because of emergency.
A system that properly regulates the life of legal immigrates is the ultimate goal of the public. The system should have measures which the process of immigration will be a benefit to the society and protect potential harm. The advantages to immigrant to this nation are the creation of activities that are business generating and for employment. New commercial cities and city neighborhood have developed as a result of the increased population of the immigrants. Immigrants have also strengthened the political and economic ties to America and other nations. This has improved the country’s leadership in humanitarian and international affairs. Immigration that is regulated further strengthens American cultural, literary, artistic, and scientific resources. The American policy of immigration demonstrates to other nations that ethnic and religious diversities are compatible in a country of civic unity for the society and democracy.
The setbacks of immigrants coming to the US are also there. Those with low skills and education may compete with Americans who are already underemployed or unemployed. Immediate cost net is also likely to be imposed with the rapid concentration of immigrants. There may also be ethnic tensions among various groups.
Various principles have been given by Immigration commission regulate immigration. One is to set priorities and goals to those immigrants who are highly eligible. The second alternative is the enforcement of limits of immigration. With such measures, the number of immigrants will be regulated and constantly monitored. The immigration policy should also not be very complex which means that it should be efficient and clear. The mechanisms used in the policy should also be comprehensive and efficient. Another requirement of the immigration policy is to enable the sponsorship of responsibility. A good policy should hold sponsors to be responsible (Crock, and Lyon, 2002, pp 67-80).
Family reunification in reaction to illegal immigration
Nuclear family, according to President Obama should be made strong and intact. The basics unit of the family comprises of the children and parent. The immigration policy permits the entry of close family members to permanent residents of US and citizens.
While the many debates are there over illegal immigration being shut off, the legal immigration system is still a challenge for some. Many legal immigrants have been unable to reunite with their close family member because of the difficult process involved. President Obama supports the opinion that families should not be separated yet the spokesman for Federation for America Immigration reform, Bob Dane says that the number of family members coming to America is too high.
The long duration process that parents and couples are separated from the children forces people to illegally migrate. Stephen Legomsky, of Washington University in his textbook, Immigration and Refugee law and policy says that the delay is the biggest flaw of the system of immigration. This is because the attorneys representing the plight of many immigrants say that no definite time is given to as to when children, siblings, parents, or spouses will obtain a permit to visit the American family members.
Lgomsky’s opinion is that family unity should be rationed because many immigrants who come to the US have followed legal channels. A change of law which currently allows legal immigrants to sponsor children and spouses. This law should instead limit the people coming. It should favor children more than adults.
The issues of illegal immigration and effect to various aspects in the society. The economic impact is currently felt in the US in sectors like the social service, law enforcement and in education. This subsequently affects the wages received by the citizens coupled with high cost of living. The USCIS should therefore, control the life of legal immigration because it opens an opportunity for terrorism. Immigrants enjoy a lot of public resources yet they do not pay many taxes. Our culture is disappearing and lack of job opportunity for citizens.
Counter argument
Those in support that USCIS should not control the future and lives of legal immigrant because legal immigrants can be paid lowly and improve the overall image of America,.
Conclusion:
In my opinion, the interests of the public should be the ultimate goal of any policy and law in this country. We can’t keep on inviting foreigners to be seen as a country that welcomes individual yet the consequence affect the living standard of Americans. Therefore, the immigration and Refugee Law and Policy do not solve the issue of illegal immigration that is in dire need of reform. The USCIS should enact proper measures to save the increasing number of illegal and legal migrants into this country.
Reference
Inhaul (2006) United states population hits 3000 million. Retrieved from
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-10/17/content_5215770.htm
On August 3, 2010
Lee, J and Rytina N (2009) Naturalization in the United States: 2008. Retrieved from
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/natz_fr_2008.pdf
On August 3, 2010
Salvi S (2010) Sanctuary cities: What are they?
http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/uscir/exesum95.html
On August 3, 2010
Murshed, M (2002) Globalization, marginalization and development,
Publisher Rutledge, PP 119-200
Crock, M Lyon, K(2002)Nation schilling: migration, labor and the law in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, Publisher Desert Pea Press, pp 67-80
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