U.S Immigration Policy

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U.S Immigration Policy

Introduction

American immigration policy is supported by a number of laws, which some of them date back as far as 1798. Laws range in all manner of presentation. Top in the list is security, employment and the quota system. It should be noted that American immigration policy is centered on brain gain benefit which is seconded by a friendly philanthropic commitment to spread job opportunities to economically challenged countries. This research will prove that the American immigration policy is responsive to local and global issues, but it needs some improvement in the way it is oriented. The research is defragmented into two main sections; firstly, the background section of the immigration section; seconded, by the discussion. The discussion part will analyze the issues, and provide possible policy changes

Background

Summary

Immigration in United States can be referred to demographic changes resulted to the influx of foreigners to the local community. Immigration to the U.S is primarily responsible for the development of controversial social, economic and political aspect. These developments are liable for altering settlement patterns, significant social mobility, voting patterns and increased crime levels. Previously, immigration in the U.S was largely a white-man affair seconded by people from South East Asia; however, recently, leading immigrations are from South American, South Asia, Middle East and Africa. Quit a significant number of immigrants are illegal; nonetheless, the illegal immigrants can through the immigration policy be naturalized into the nation. More than half of immigrants are in America through family reunification, seconded by employment factors and thirdly, humanitarian reasons. There has been a subsequent calling for the improvement of the immigration policy. Issues are social, economic or political. This study will provide a recommendation on possible improvement points of the policy.

Nature (Literature)

Based on the background, one will notice that there are three imperative factors in relation to immigration policy. These are media, politics, and public policy. The three collectively interrelate with each other to provide direction in relation to immigration policy. However, as this study will unveil, the current immigration policy, seconded by a plethora of states and federal laws fail to meet a desirable threshold of quality.

Security

The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act (EBSVER) of 2002, seconded by the Real ID act of 2005, are vital laws that alter to a greater extent the immigration policy. The EBSVER law enhances the development of Border Patrol agents, stipulate foreigners, and nationals to carry a Biometric technology I.D card. In addition, the above named school report to foreign students attending classes. On the other hand, the Real ID act aggrandizes on the provision of certain security standards; which relate to the entrance of crucial state buildings, plane tickets, and bank accounts.

It is good clarify on the nature of established national standards in relation to state driver licenses which cleared the way for the building of border controls. Ideally, these two laws enhanced many protocols affecting visa insurance. It was now official that embassies and consulates are required to buffer up a terrorist lookout committee to locate suspected terrorist within any given jurisdiction. The information is further distributed to security bodies’ national wide.

Now based on these two laws, exchanges in information would become a common practice in attempting to prevent visa fraud for immigrants entering U.S. The question melts down that whether the quality of laws being implemented was responsive as an important policy question. On top, the two laws are instrumental in enhancing portability of clearance changes of status. The laws would further improve the training on consular officers to receive regards to Visa Mantis and Mandates that the secretary of state would improve in regard of Technology Alert List.

Employment

The federal government decisively supports the immigration policy for its general contribution to the economy. Employment laws in relation to this policy date way back to 1898, when the federal government processed the Chinese immigrants to enter U.S legally. The law is based from the Immigration Reform and Control act of 1986. The law denied American employers from hiring illegal immigrants. Secondly, the law provided amnesty for illegal immigrants who are already in the US. Thirdly, the law enhanced increased border enforcement. This law was imperative since it responded to different immigration problems based on the thesis of legality and equality. The law inhibited discrimination on the basis of national origins and further led to the increased border patrols by 50 percent. It should be recalled that it is this law that pioneered the establishment of the Green Card lottery program for 5,000 visas for countries that were economically challenged (Farnam, 56).

As a result of the increased number of immigrants, the federal government pioneered the development of the Illegal immigration act (1996), which required the increased border enforcement for immigrants coming to U.S for employment opportunities. Additionally, the law required phone verification for all foreign workers to determine their validity. Lastly, the law sought to reinstate the welfare benefits of more difficult legal aliens. This law was speculative that the number of illegal immigrants living in United States was estimated to 20 million by 1996. Most of these immigrants were coming from economically challenged countries and did not stand a better position to qualify for genuine Visa enrollment. LeMay (19) cites that small business did take advantage of illegal workers, and in US it is estimated that around 6-8 million jobs are done in the underground market, and around 5 million workers are paid off the books yet they constitute of a stealth workforce.

Later in June 2000, the congress processed the Immigration and Naturalization Service Data Management Improvement Act (PL. 206-215). The act further amended section 110 of the illegal immigration act of 1996. The 2000 improvement act charged the Immigration and Naturalization Service to develop an automated system to track all entry and exit of non-citizens and nonimmigrant and immigrants. The system was expected to operate in all seaports, land borders and airports. The INS was to become effect on December 31, 2003, but due to logistical factors, fifty land and border ports were selected by the attorney general for having the highest number of departures and arrivals.

Based on this, there has been a subsequent desire to ensure that there is the American labor market is fully supplied with labor and that desires look on the ability to increase the number of international players optimally. In U.S, the number of job vacancies exceeds the number of eligible applicants. The potential of domestic pool of workers has significantly shrunk, while the percentage of Native American pursuing higher education has increased. Thus, there is a paradox of thrift when it comes to labor supply.

On the other hand, the recent debate in relation to off-shoring foreign jobs seconded by a motion whether Americans will be willing to do the same jobs if they are paid handsomely has gained significant clout. Bush (14) argues that the efforts to further restrict immigration by low-skilled workers to lure more educated people to unskilled labor by raising wages might be successful, but this will only increase the aggregate expenditure of companies. Thus, the government is left with limited option not to pursue a desirable immigration policy since requesting Americans to do unskilled work would naturally harm the economy.

Quota System

In relation to immigration policy, the quota policy has been an egalitarian thrust from several civil rights movements. The debate was centered on the role of congressional approach to abolish the national origins quota system which was enacted in 1965. Jacob (107) establishes that there are considerate dangers of the quota system and has significantly led to the uncontrolled immigration. The quota system seems to limit appropriate evidence that seeks to apprehend immigration reformers in increasing reformers. Reformers have constantly agitated that the quota system has been discriminatory and should be established, and subsequently, there should be the establishment of national origins of a quota system that is largely fair and responsive to challenges affecting individuals at a time.

Now based on the belligerent nature of the quota system, the American Immigration and Citizenship Council (AICC) led the immigration policy based on equality purposes. The AICC visible organization were based on ethnic groups; for instance, Hellenic Education Program Association of the Sons of Italy, and the Japanese American Citizens League. Although most of these groups were considerably small, they did have an impetus on the development of immigration policy. To a greater extent the groups led to the establishment of civil rights groups; for instance, American Civil Liberties Union. The groups were under the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The objective was to end apartheid created by the quota system based on the ethnic representation.

It is through this driving force that the immigration reform consolidated the driving force against racial and ethnic quotas. Jacob (9) further states that as far as racial quotas were concerned, economic interest and foreign policy was considered heavily. Thus, the American government had limited options of attempting to limit minor children and citizens to immigrate outside the quota allowances. Relatives were given significant preference within the quota system. The quota reserve for unmarried parents, spouses, and children was extended in emphasis of family reunification. At this point, humanitarian concerns exceeded any interest of the country. As a result, the quota legislation adopted by the federal government made it clear that discriminative was a central element of U.S immigration policy.

Issues with this kind of commitment

After a close revelation of the above assessment, one will notice the asylum factor and how it affects different policy development. U.S attempts to extend a benevolent hand to individuals from different countries for immigrants are willing to live and work in U.S. However, in assessment, there are significant inexplicable disparities in asylum approval rates that tend to urge administrative reforms. In fact, there have been subsequent political, religious, and ethnic indifferences between immigrants and natives. To a larger extent, immigrants do feel that the are not treat fairly like native Americans, obviously on the basis of human being factors. Hence, agitators from Middle East, South Asia, and Northern Africa facilitate terrorist activities in U.S as a responsive measure.

Secondly, the wage levels have increased mixed signals on the role of immigrants in U.S. Since immigrants are willing to accept lower or even minimal wage, then the nature of immigration policy could cause a decline of native workers wages. This not only causes individual problems, but to a greater extent, causes institutional factors will strong trade unions. Indeed, trade unions in America are the most vehement when it comes to agitating for equal treatment especially in relation to wage level. Thus, immigration not only causes a higher rate of unemployment in U.S but to also, belligerence between the government and civil rights institutions.

Subsequently, the nature of American economy means that the economy will naturally operate on closed doors. Immigrants will increase the price of factors of production and this leads to complementary decrease in the price of supplies of factors of production. In economics, the impact of immigrant to the native economy depends on production factors like capital and labor. In other words, these are the degree of substitutability between natives versus immigrants with supplies; for instance, technology being considered constant.

Finally, an increase in the employment of skilled people will naturally increase the aggregate demand for complementary factors – capital lance. However, the immigration of unskilled workers will lower the wages of unskilled workers; thus, capital and skilled workers will end up being redundant since the economy will prefer the utilization of unskilled workers who are relatively cheaper. Hence, the influx of such immigrants shifts the labor supply and makes it more elastic.

Policy Recommendation

It is imminent that there is security and economic problem in U.S. The policy problem in American is responsible for the development of divergent policies; primarily, those which are not productive. The influx of immigrants into the country means the federal government has to step- a step forward to create decisive policy goals. According to Workpermit (2014), the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program commonly known as the lottery program will be abolished. However, in light with this research, such an abolishment may not effective enough. Hence, it would sound better if the federal government endeavored to process a more liberalized policy; for instance, Labor Exchange Program. This would allow subsequent exchange of expatriates between different countries.

Secondly, in relation to the issue of security, U.S administration should endeavor to spread a helping hand to counter terrorism breeding points internationally. In addition, security perimeters of immigrants should be spread to ensure that it operates without hitches. Most terrorist will immigrate to U.S posing as investors or students, and not commonly as job seekers. Thus, more policy measures should be reinstated in relation to this approach.

Work Cited

Bush, Jeb, Thomas F. McLarty, and Edward H. Alden. U.s. Immigration Policy. New York:

Council on Foreign Relations, 2009. Print.

Jacob, Dickson”Chapter 12: Fighting the Immigration Quota System; Supporting a Code of

Ethics and the Right of Blacks to Vote.” Center for Migration Studies special issues 31.2 (2008): 101-110. Print

Farnam, Julie. Us Immigration Laws Under the Threat of Terrorism. New York: Algora Publ,

2005. Print.

“Green card lottery will be abolished by US immigration reform bill.” Green card lottery will be

abolished by US immigration reform bill. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2014. <http://www.workpermit.com/news/2013-04-23/green-card-lottery-will-be-abolished-by-us-immigration-reform-bill>.

LeMay, Michael C. Illegal Immigration: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.:

ABC-CLIO, 2007. Print.