Immigration reform is one of the main issues preoccupying American voters as they go to the polls in Tuesday's (7 November) mid-term elections. In some voting precincts it is in fact the main issue. Immigrants are entering the United States at the rate of one every 30 seconds, or one million a year, an increase of 16 percent in the past five years. The question is how to regulate the ongoing influx of immigrants, now entering the United States, and what to do about the roughly twelve million illegal immigrants.
Demonstrations
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in demonstrations about immigration in the US in the past year. At one, a pro-immigration rally held at the foot of Capitol Hill in Washington, Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum explained why immigration had become the big issue in the run-up to the elections:
"The numbers of people coming are bigger than ever. The fact that it's in a post 9/11 era where there are legitimate concerns, often exaggerated and directed at Mexican immigrants who want to work, and there are concerns about lack of control, and quite frankly there are big political stakes."
"Republicans think they appeal to conservatives who are upset about illegal immigration, but they may pay a big price by alienating Hispanic voters, the fastest growing group of voters, so for economic, political, demographic reasons, for security, there is a lot at stake and the pot is boiling. The country wants action and unfortunately our political leaders haven't been able to mobilise a concensus in order to resolve it."
Jobs
The vast majority of the immigrants, legal and illegal, now entering the United States in search of jobs, are from Latin America. Critics of unregulated immigration point out that there are as many illegal immigrants in America now as all the English, Irish and Jewish immigrant who ever came to the US over the past 400 years.
They blame immigrants for rising crime and poverty rates, for health problems such as the re-emergence of diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis, and for pressures on social services. Mexican immigrants are even suspected of wanting a Reconquista , or re-annexation of California and the American Southwest.
The statistics show, however, that immigrants are indispensable to the US economy and labour market, especially in the fields of farming, construction and domestic services. According to the New York Times, even illegal immigrants pay more in taxes (sales tax, for example) than they consume in services.
Out of sync
One of the main problems is that the enormous needs and potential of the American labour market are completely out of sync with the small number of visas allocated for legal immigration every year. Steve McSweeney represents the 50,000 undocumented Irish immigrants who are demanding reform so they can travel and go home to visit their families.
"[We want to] contribute, serving in the army and all the Irish want to do is help build this country. Why is it so difficult? Because out of one million visas allocated last year, Irish were granted 160 visas. So immigration reform is a necessity now."
A scion of one of America's most famous immigrant families, Senator Edward Kennedy is the co-author of a bipartisan Senate bill that calls for legalising undocumented immigrants by offering them a path to citizenship. President George W Bush is also calling for the legalisation of immigrants through a guest worker programme. However, while the White House and the Senate want somehow to legalise illegal immigrants, the House of Representatives wants to criminalise them by making it a felony to work in the country without the proper papers.
Ancestors
Senator Kennedy told the rally in Washington that taking immigrants out of the black economy would be good for everyone:
"This is one of the most pressing moral issues of our time. From my office in Boston I can see the steps where my ancestors arrived as immigrants. Immigrants aren't different. They work hard. Immigrants have contributed to America throughout our history. We say Congress must act now and do what is right."
 |
 |
|
Click to listen to a report on US immigration by Marijke van der Meer
|
Politicians are at an impasse, but they are all under pressure from voters to comprehensively reform immigration. With elections approaching and eager to appear that it was taking action, the Republican-dominated Congress recently passed the so-called Secure Fence Act, which calls for a 700-mile double-layered fence covering one-third of the 2000 mile border with Mexico. This is also intended to allay fears about the possible threat to national security it is felt unregulated immigration poses in this post 9/11 era.
Tags:
congressional,
house of representatives,
immigrants,
mid-term,
reform,
US
Katie,
18-11-2006
- United States
Immigrants (legal or not) are coming over here, not adapting to our culture. That's what's wrong with the whole picture. Why is it that we must adapt to theirs, and they cannot reciprocate? Why is it that in 9 out of 10 pamphlets, menus, brochures and instruction manuals Spanish comes second to English, sometimes first? I'm tired of it. Let's try this.. Not translate EXIT signs on airplanes and see what might happen.
Janet Conroy,
03-11-2006
- United States of America
Funny how no one seems to want to speak for the US citizens here. I am a native-born Californian and in the last 30 years have watched the forced invasion of my home by millions of Mexico's unwanted, uneducated over-population. Mexico is literally dumping their masses of unwanted people on our doorstep for the American people to take care of.
So, if the 50,000 illegal aliens from Ireland are having a problem with the American people who want our immigration laws enforced the Irish should take their complaints to the Mexican government. With regard to the limited number of visas issued to the Irish, well, you can thank Irishman Teddy Kennedy for that one -- he was responsible for changing our immigration law to limit European immigration while expanding Third World immigration. And, since the majority of immigrant visas go to relatives of US citizens, the majority of visas now go to Mexicans for the purpose of family reunification. You Irish can thank Uncle Teddy for that one, too.
We admit at least 1.6 million legal immigrants into the US every year, not to mention all those hundreds of thousands admited on work visas of various kinds. Added to these numbers of legal aliens are the illegals who are flooding over our southern border at the rate of between 4-10 million per year (plus the two million per year who come legally from all over the world but over-stay their visas and blend in to our ethnic enclaves). So, you might wish to re-think that one million per year number you used in the article.
Another thing that went unmentioned was the carnage the illegal aliens (mostly the Mexicans) bring to the US. Currently, on average, 25 people in the US die at the hands of illegal aliens each and every day. So, every six months we lose the same number of people to illegal aliens as we lost on 9/11. In six months we lose as many people in America as soldiers killed in three years of war in Iraq. And, we aren't even talking about those who survive the the illegal alien attacks -- those numbers are huge and, for the most part, go unreported. I don't believe the complaining Irish illegal aliens have taken this into consideration, had they they would understand our reluctance to give a blanket amnesty to all the illegal aliens breaking our immigration laws and destroying our way of life.
When polled, Americans by wide majorities reject the Senate amnesty scheme and favor the House's strict enforcement-only plan. These are the numbers -- Republicans 81%, Independents 72%, Democrats 57% and even Hispanic-Americans support enforcement only at 53%. Overall, 67% of Americans want immigration reduced, not increased or maintained at current generous levels. Since our country belongs to "We the People" of the United States, it is up to us to determine who we will invite into our home. It is not up to Mexico or Ireland to make the decision for us.
Francesca Gutierrez,
Roxychick1389@msn.com,
03-11-2006
- CA
Well although the population is growing drastically, it's not just because of Mexicans. Yes, there is a majority of Mexicans and I understand that 160 Irish got visas and the rest went to Mexicans. But the thing is that why is it that the people are so worried about immigrants and not pedophiles and murderers. California is already in debt and now to build a 700 ft wall across Mexico. What are they doing to Canada? Mexicans aren't the ones holding a sign saying" feed me im poor" or "I'm homeless, haven't any money" on the side of freeways or on the corners of gas stations. No, Mexicans work hard for their money. They sell elotes, fresas, flowers everything and anything to make many for their families. To give their kids a better life just as you would for your kids. But yet Mexicans are the ones that lower our economy. No, I think you got your people twisted. Next time you go to the gas station or freeway look to see who's selling the flowers and who's holding the sign.
Francesca Gutierrez,
Roxychick1389@msn.com,
03-11-2006
-
Mexicans are not the immigrants. We were here along with the Indians. We shared the land. But Christopher Columbus comes and "supposedly" discovers America and slowly we get pushed to what we now know as Mexico. So when we get called immigrants who are the reall immigrants. Not Mexicans I can say that much, since before I was born Mexican and the US have been at each others necks. The US back in I think 1940 I want to say, lied to Mexico. Mexico gave the US a contract saying that they can have northern cali and the other states, Mexico not knowing if it was in Spanish that the US doesn't eccept Spanish contracts, gave it to them. The US knowing this accepted it and then later denied it saying they don't accept Mexican cantracts and stilling what rightfully belong to the Mexicans. So once agian who are the real immigrants? We didn't come on a boat. Nope we were born and raised here. We are native to our land. So once agian who are the immigrants, not Mexicans.
Candice,
03-11-2006
- usa
My family immigrated to the US "legally". These "illegals" are ruining our economy and changing the face of our great nation and it is destroying our country.
