Border Control and Immigration Reform

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Border Control and Immigration Reform

People move from one part of the world to another for many reasons. Many people view the West as the ideal destination for things such as employment, medical care, education and others. Before a person moves to another country or continent, they have to take into account all of the differences they might encounter, such as religion, politics, economy, culture race, among others. The ability of people from different backgrounds to coexist has led to an increase in the levels of immigration. The United States is one of the leading destinations for many people from across the world, and this had led to an intense debate on the advantages and disadvantages of immigration. The statement that the United States should protect its borders and control the flow of immigration is a reasonable one. However, the country should still allow legal immigrants into the country because they make significant contributions to the country.

The US and Mexico have a long and drawn-out history, and that is why the issue of immigration and border control is such a touchy one. In the early 1800s, Mexico encouraged Americans to settle in the present-day Texas region. The American government had a desire to expand its territory following the Manifest Destiny, but Mexico refused to cede or sell land to the US. The region around the Rio Grande was in contention, and the US decided to send its troops to the region in the provocation of the Mexican government. The Mexicans attacked the US troops, and this led to a war between the two countries. In the end, the US gained control of Mexican territories that include the states of Texas, Arizona and other Southern states (Buchanan 2). Mexico and the US have had testy relations for hundreds of years, but the two countries still depend on each other.

One of the reasons why the US has to protect its borders and control immigration is that there are millions of illegal immigrants in the country. Mexicans make up a significant percentage of these immigrants given the close proximity of the two countries. Some of the reasons for illegal immigration include gang violence, poverty and lack of employment and educational opportunities in Mexico. People move to the US in search of a better life for themselves and their families. However, there has been an influx of illegal immigrants, and this puts a strain on the government’s resources (Johansson & Larsson 16). This is one of the reasons why there should be a clear path of immigration so that the government can plan adequately of the needs of its people such as education, healthcare and other public resources.

Patrick Buchanan argues against immigration in the text titles ‘La Reconquista.’ One of the reasons for his position is that about 1.6 illegal immigrants are apprehended at the southern border, showing that there should be strict rules, especially concerning border control. Another reason that Buchanan gives against immigration is that immigrants, especially in recent times, have become very entitled. They have no desire to integrate with the American culture, including the language, choosing instead to hold on to their homeland (Buchanan 6). Additionally, Mexican immigrants are concentrated to the South West of the country rather than spread out across the country as intended by the founding fathers of the country.

In contrast, Samuel Huntington advances a different viewpoint in the article titled ‘The Clash of the Civilizations.’ Huntington acknowledges that there is a lot of interaction and integration among civilizations across the world, and it is impossible for the United States to remain separate from Mexico for several reasons, including economic reasons. In the recent past, Mexico has begun to redefine itself after the US. Huntington gives three points that will help Mexico achieve its goals. The first reason is that its economic and political elite are enthusiastic about the redefinition because they want to achieve higher standards of life as in the US. The second reason is that the recipient civilization, which is the US must be willing to accept converts, and the US has been willing to do that for the most part in a legal capacity (Huntington 44). Third, the Mexican public must be willing to embrace the change, and the high rates of immigration prove this to be accurate in the case of Mexico.

The contrasting viewpoints of the two authors each have their merits, but the fact remains that immigration is inevitable, and it is quite beneficial to the US as well as to Mexico. With increasing globalization, there has been an increase in the mobility of labour and resources across borders. Competitive countries such as the US have become favourite destinations because they offer immigrations higher standards of living, including employment, education and healthcare. However, this immigration should be done legally. The US economy has benefited significantly from its relationship with Mexico. Mexico provides a bulk of workers in the US economy, especially in agriculture and other positions that require low skills (Johansson & Larsson 19). The US also imports a lot of products from Mexico, mainly agricultural produce. For this reason, immigration reform should be enforced with a view of maintaining law order in the process rather than hampering immigration completely.

Protecting borders and controlling immigration should be done carefully because immigrants are an integral part of the economy. Bernie Sanders, a leading 2020 presidential candidate, is one of the prominent supporters of immigration reforms. His immigration policies include breaking up the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and assigning immigration issues to relevant government bodies (Dworkin 12). Bernie’s arguments in support of immigration are very sober because he wants to allow immigrants into the country legally, while still protecting the interests of American workers. ICE has come under fire for inhuman treatment of immigrants, and this is why there should be reforms when it comes to border control and immigration.

To sum up the issue of border protecting and controlling immigration flow, the United States has the right to do this, but it must also consider other factors. No country can exist in isolation, and the immigration policies instituted must be for the benefit of the country. The US has millions of illegal immigrants, most of them from the neighbouring country of Mexico. Many have called for stricter border patrols to curb illegal immigration, supported by Buchanan’s pints that immigration is harmful to the country. Presidents Trump’s border wall has been the subject of intense debates over the past few years. All political leaders agree on the need for immigration reforms, but they should simply encourage legal immigration rather than discourage all immigrants. Immigrants make significant contributions to the US economy; thus border protection and immigration reforms should protect the US’ economic interests.

Works Cited

Buchanan, Patrick J. The Death of the West. Australia Books, 2011.

Dworkin, Scott, ed. Meet the Candidates 2020: Bernie Sanders: A Voter’s Guide. Simon and Schuster, 2019.

Huntington, Samuel P. “The clash of civilizations?.” Culture and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2000. 99-118.

Johansson, Johan, and Martin Larsson. “Immigration and the economy: A study of the costs and benefits of immigration.” (2018).