Immigration -- the Challenge Illegal

Immigration -- the Challenge

Illegal immigration has economic, security and law and order implications. In a dynamic economy such as the United States it would be a shortsighted measure to focus on confronting illegal immigration as a purely economic defense as labor mobilization is a natural response to the capitalist labor market demands. However, as a national security policy and a law and order problem, illegal immigration should definitely be addressed effectively. A multifaceted approach involving enforcing stringent employment regulations and severe sanctions on failing employers, building a physical fence along the entire stretch of the border, and allocating more resources and patrolling force is suggested. Legalizing and regularizing the flow of immigrants according to the market demands is as important as any of these other measures to effectively tackle the illegal immigration problem.

Introduction

Illegal Immigration has become a hot political, economical and now even a healthcare issue in the U.S. with every year a swarming population of more than a million illegal aliens entering the U.S. along the land routes. Managing illegal immigration along the U.S. - Mexican border presents a huge problem as it involves a land stretch, which is approximately 2000 miles long. From San Diego, California in the west to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in the east, the border patrol area is very wide. Also the sparsely populated areas across the Arizona desert and other border zones make a haven for the illegal Mexican drug cartels. The recent row about the increasing percentage of violent crimes perpetuated by illegal aliens in the state of Arizona has spurred more public and political pressure on the government. The impact of illegal immigration on the law and order situation in the bordering states has amplified the need for a more secure border and immigration system. While national security and border surveillance are crucial it is also essential to understand the economic impact of immigration on America. The article by Michael Barone titled "Living with Illegals?" briefly discusses the much-debated topic of illegal immigration in America touching upon these vital issues. This paper is a brief overview of the author's viewpoints alongside a discussion of personal perspectives on the issue.

Economic and Social Consequences of Illegal Immigration

Though the author does not delve in depth about the economic implications of illegal immigration, he does not have a narrow-minded view of the illegal immigration issue. The article clearly highlights his understanding of the dynamic nature of the U.S. economy. So instead of a blind sighted approach wherein only the consequences but not the cause of illegal immigration is analyzed, the author provides a balanced approach to the problem. An economic appraisal of the problem is very essential as it is the success of the U.S. economy that attracts immigrants from very many countries. Written in 2006 when the border security bill was still debated in the congress, the article suggests that providing a legal way to enter America would be an important aspect of the solution to the illegal immigration.

America is the land of opportunities and the melting pot of all cultures and people from many countries are attracted to the freedom, prosperity and high standards of living that the American dream promises. "As Fernand Braudel, the famous French historian said, Capitalism "laughs at frontiers." [Michael Barone] the vibrant economy of the U.S. continues to attract illegal immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Scores of illegal Latin Americans work in the hospitality industry, construction, meatpacking, agriculture, and landscaping sectors. In fact, in some of the states it is said that almost half of the construction workers are from Latin America. There are arguments that if all these illegal immigrants were removed these jobs would improve the unemployment situation for the American citizens. It is also generally argued that the pay scale for low skilled jobs would also increase. Also, most of the illegal aliens utilize healthcare, education and other services without paying taxes causing significant drain for the government.

The above points are clearly valid but there are both positive and negative effects of illegal immigration. Economists feel that totally eliminating illegal workers would only marginally improve the pay scale for high school dropouts and would not have any significant impact for workers with higher qualifications. Furthermore, illegal immigration contributes positively as Americans pay reduced prices for food products, construction, restaurant meals, etc. Also illegal immigrants spend a lot of money for their own food and other goods. They buy automobiles and other electronic gadgets which all contribute to the economic demand and jobs elsewhere. Economists argue that the overall economic impact of illegal immigration is slightly on the positive side.

The author also refers to previous legal reforms to tackle illegal immigration. One has to agree with the author that the 1986 immigration law that granted amnesty to illegal aliens and punished employers of illegal migrants with heavy penalties is largely a failed measure. As shown in a recent movie about immigration titled 'Crossing Over', forging of documents has become so prevalent and employers do not show any interest in verifying these documents. In fact employers routinely use these forged documents as a loophole against costly penalties. The author infers that an electronic document verification solution akin to the ATM cards system should solve the forging issues and recommends that private sector should be entrusted with the implementation of such a system. As the author advocates immigration reforms should include a careful consideration of the demands of the labor market. Legalization of those immigrants who are already in the U.S. For years and a policy that encourages the assimilation into America is the key to any immigration reforms or regulation policy.