An election year can do two things - it can bring issues to the forefront of debate and it can sweep issues under the rug in the name of campaigning. After all, who would want to confront those pesky issues when there are voting machines to tamper wi--... I mean... an election to win! One of the pesky issues being swept under the rug is immigration.
The current political climate is all about the economy and healthcare - who has jobs, who doesn't; who is creating jobs, who isn't; who needs a bailout, who doesn't; who can afford healthcare, who can't. The political scene is still reeling from the financial debacle and together with the healthcare bill (which is for debate another time), these issues have eclipsed the issue of immigration. Immigration is a heated topic on both sides of the issue. The list of accusations against illegal immigrants, mainly coming from Mexico, goes on and on and includes items like: jobs taken away from U.S. citizens already starved for jobs, not paying taxes, clogging ERs due to lack of medical insurance, driving illegally....etc. Those on the other side of the argument quip that these people are only taking jobs that Americans don't want anyway and they therefore are an integral part of our infrastructure.
Personally, I believe no matter the benefits or problems with having illegal immigrants in the country, it's not really an issue that should be debated. If you pay the slightest bit of attention, you'll see that it is ILLEGAL immigration... meaning, against the law. I strongly feel that people need to acknowledge it for what it is, illegal. Having said that, I also believe our country needs to acknowledge it as a serious issue and start coming up with some viable solutions. Two kinds of solutions are needed: solutions to fix the current problem and solutions to prevent future problems. I was fortunate enough to be born in the United States of America and am therefore a citizen. Because of this, I don't know what our immigration policy is like, but I am more than willing to admit that it probably needs some overhauling. This, along with attempts to work with Mexico and taking action to once and for all control the border with Mexico would fall into the later category.
With regard to fixing the current problem, several things could be done. First, there should be heavy, exorbitant fines placed on employers who are found to be employing undocumented workers. If employers knew they would be fined out of business for hiring undocumented workers, they wouldn't do it, and if there were no jobs, there would be less of an attraction to jump the border. Secondly, I don't agree with racial profiling and I don't think the fact that you think someone might be an illegal immigrant is a valid reason to make a traffic stop, but I do think that citizenship should be verified when arrests are made and anyone found to be here illegally should be sent home at the earliest possible convenience.
Immigration has always been one of the things that make the U.S. great, creating a diverse and rich population. Illegal immigration is something that threatens that. Even if you stand on the side of the issue that argues that illegal immigrants take jobs citizens don't want, you can't deny that that's not really the point.... it's still ILLEGAL. Hopefully, this issue can get some attention soon; some genuine attention from the right people that can come up with smart, practical solutions that can relieve the U.S. of this stress and set it on course for a more modern immigration policy.
In Mr. Matthews' editiorial, "Immigration reform in the U.S," he provides background and an interesting stance on the issue of illegal immigration. First and foremost, I would like to say that I think this is an excellent editorial and that it was very well written. It provides an interesting stance on the issue of illegal immigration (although not necessarily the side that I would take) and provides logical arguments to support the stance. Additionally, I liked how you provided background on how the current political climate is not very attentive to sensitive issues such as illegal immigration, and I agree completely that SOMEONE needs to bring this issue into the forefront of political debate and concoct a solution.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think this is a great editorial, I will say that the stance I take on this issue is very different from yours. Illegal immigration is not something to be taken lightly; it is a very complex problem and there is no simple solution for it because it is a problem on multiple levels of society. It is an ethical problem; illegal immigration is illegal (duh) and people who do it ARE breaking the law. It is a social problem; people are being racially profiled in a country that is supposed to provide and promote equality for all. And lastly, it is an economic problem; these immigrants are taking jobs that americans could potentially be held by an American citizen. I think that different understandings of the situation create different viewpoints, and from my personal experience I would take a different approach on the issue. Putting fines on businesses who employ illegal immigrants may make jumping the border less appealing, but it also in effect would criminalize a lot of hardworking American businesses, something that I think employers should not have to worry about on top of this economic crisis. Additionally, I know from experience that while the unemployment rate is high in the United States, most Americans are too prideful to take up low paying jobs that a lot of illegal immigrants hold, so if we kicked them out it would be more detrimental to businesses than it would be good. Ultimately, the policy as it is now is criminalizing a group of the American population, illegal as the may be, that works hard and takes jobs that Americans don't want.
Anyways, despite having a different opinion on illegal immigration, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article and look forward to reading your posts in the future.