Immigration reform policies and implementation

Immigration Reform

The American political system appears to be engaged in a chaotic state of confusion as many contradictory policies and actions are taking place in national society. Immigration reform is one of the main issues coming from the media machines that dictate and pace the political discussions taking place. The purpose of this essay is to describe the relationship between immigration reform and homeland security.

The current pace of societal change suggests that any reforms that are completed at a federal level are sure to be obsolete in the near future. Immigration reform is no exception to this understanding as it too is a very fluid ideal. The arguments for immigration reform are strictly political and need to be understood that this a limited view of a real problem.

America has been built by immigrants from around the world and this historical context provides the background on which this argument is based. Times are different now with threats to security coming everywhere which suggest that immigration should be more scrutinized. While fences appear to do some kind of control to the situation, I am not convinced that this is an effective way to control the flow of people who would like to come into this country mostly looking for employment and a better way of life.

Recently O'Keefe (2013) wrote about a current House proposal: " The House bill doesn't set an exact price or timeline or mandate a certain number of hires. Instead, it instructs the Department of Homeland Security to write a plan that could ensure the apprehension of 90% of illegal border-crossers in high-traffic areas within 33 months and across the entire southern border within five years. The measure directs the department to find ways to deploy existing U.S. military radar, cameras and unmanned aerial drones used recently in Afghanistan and Iraq. Congress would need to review and approve the plan before appropriating any money." This infusion between DHS an immigration is problematic. Immigration is in itself a rather harmless act and does not threaten security in any real way. The borders to this country are mostly unsecured, and anyone with serious intention can come here and establish a life. This reasoning suggests the political nature of immigration reform is actually distracting from more important issues and the more serious threats that actually do threaten the country's security.