In our world today, politics, beliefs, opinions and policies make up much of our news. Many policies set throughout the world, including the United States are very controversial. One of these policies being our immigration policy. A policy fought over for quite literally since this country was founded. Before the country was founded, we had open doors, we were getting ready to fight a war, and we had so many job opportunities, all of which could benefit from the use of immigrants from all around the world. Today, we have several laws, keeping immigrants out. These laws are often fought over in politics and throughout the country today. Some effects of these policies implemented today include a lesser number of immigrants, more likely to have more unemployment, and more backlash for the amount of people we turn away, but even though there are a lot of negative aspects to the policies, there are also some positive effects which will be explored. If I were able to recommend polices to the U.S. to implement, I would recommend they rethink their asylum policies, to broaden the terms of which refugees and asylees can come in. I would also recommend they should also change their per country ceilings. I hope that these changes would bring less negative effects, and more positive effects that benefit our country and our people.
Before the United States even became a country, millions of people were pouring in from all over the world, many seeking religious freedom, work opportunity or just a better life. The United States had open doors or had a laissez-fair approach to this population of immigrants, they needed people in our military, our workforce, and other places all vital to help our country to continue to function and thrive. Through time, policy evolved from a laissez faire approach to a proactive requisition approach. This approach was when the U.S. went searching for immigrants since our population was still regarded as scarce. After one hundred years had went by after our countries founding the civil war began, thus bringing an era of great change in immigration policy. A major shift took place changing the enforcement of immigration from the state level to the federal level. At the end of the Civil war and WWI, the United States declared they would stop being a country of immigrants, Congress sought to eliminate European and Asian immigration with a legislation passed in 1921. Quotas were put in place to severely limit immigration from countries especially in southern and eastern Europe. The reason for this specific quota was that those people were very ‘culturally distant’ from the northwestern Europeans and would threaten American identity. Along with European quotas, Asian immigrants were totally cut off. From these quotas put on certain places, the immigration rate was cut down to more than a fourth of the pre-war immigrant numbers. Though ironically, Mexicans were encouraged to enter the country in the 1920’s, no quota had been put in place in the western hemisphere at that time. Though, when the Great Depression wiped out the nation's economy, the United States started to put limits on the Mexican immigrants and proceeded to even deport these groups of individuals. The reason for this was to make room for unemployed non-Latino American citizens. After the Great Depression and WWII, the population of European immigrants were saved through a ‘side door’ through the McCarran-Walter Act, helping displaced Europeans from the Soviet Union threat. This was overthrown in the 1960s due to its shifting of American identity. After 1965, the Immigration and Nationality act, imposed by John F. Kennedy and passed by his successor after his assassination, Lyndon B. Johnson was added to our immigration policy. This gave quotas for each hemisphere which was 170,000 in the eastern hemisphere and 120,000 in the western hemisphere, each country was limited to 20,000 immigrants/year. In later years, those hemisphere quotas turned into a global quota, which was 290,000 in 1978 and raised to 700,000 in 1990. Many unions that had developed a negative connotation to immigration saw that they played a major role in our economy, specifically agriculture and the labor force in the time after WWII. Today, Hispanics are now the central target of restrictive forces, and many policies and immigration laws are focused on this issue today.
There are 3 major factors of controversy regarding immigration, those being cultural differences, effect the immigrants have on the United States economy and crime. Though most immigrants come in and help our country and economy, some immigrants come in, unknowing of laws and policies in our country and don’t follow them. They may not pay taxes, even though they are getting financed by the government, and they may take part in illegal activities, such as drug smuggling and crime. Culture is also a very controversial topic regarding immigrants coming into our country. Though, many believe unlike some popular opinion in Europe that immigrants enhance our culture, diversify our popular customs and beliefs and ultimately enhancing our influence on the world. While culture is still an issue in many people protest, economics is a more pressing issue in politics and far more spoken of rather than cultural difference, since America was built on that very diversity immigrants brought. Regarding politics, Americans hold very contradicting beliefs on their effect on our economy. A lot of people believe that immigrants are coming in and stealing natives’ jobs and causing a huge number of unemployed Americans, but that’s not the case. Very few immigrants steal jobs that Americans want to be doing. Many immigrants do labor type work. This being agriculture, construction, and any other labor type force, very few end up being doctors, engineers, or any jobs that require several years of schooling. From this, controversy appears because Americans believe that immigrants are a drain of government finances, since they “don't pay taxes”, but, in reality, immigrants and/or their offspring end up paying about $80,000 more in tax than they are financed by the government. Ultimately, immigrant, though a handful of them come in and disregard the law and government, are a working and vital part of our countries economic system and hold a very important position that many Americans refuse to fill. Immigrants bring a lot of positive effects to our country, though they bring negative effects, many of which are derived from false beliefs by protestors or the inability for our federal government to regulate and solve issues related to immigration in our country.
As a citizen of the United States of America, I have beliefs about immigration, and I have some ideas about how to make immigration easier on immigrants and U.S. citizens. I believe if the government first broadens the terms of persecution that asylums can enter the country. Though this would undoubtedly raise the number of immigrants entering the country, if we had a successful system of keeping track or them and recognize the refugees or asylees who pose a threat to the United States, we could make it work, and decrease the backlash and protest on the immigration policies in this country. I think we should also raise the per country quota for certain countries, for example, as of now, many migrants will be leaving Syria and surrounding countries due to their government or violence. By keeping the quota, the same, we turn down millions of people who may want to come in for safety. If the quotas fluctuate depending on condition of which the migrants from certain countries are under, we will be able to help more people in a time of crisis. As previously covered, immigrants are a very important part of our economy, and country, that help to make our country more successful and prosperous.
Immigration is a very controversial topic in America, something fought over since before the country was founded. When the country was first founded, America had open doors to immigrants. Many early immigrants came from Europe in seek of religious freedom, more money, or just a better life. Then a wave of Asian immigrants started coming into the U.S., then from this, Congress passed a legislation virtually cutting off Asian immigrants and it put quotas on European immigrants. Meanwhile, Mexican immigrants were pouring into the United States, up until the Great Depression, in which many Mexicans were deported due to job shortages. Through wars, the government passed legislation putting quotas on certain countries and making new laws in regard to immigration. Today, Mexicans are now the most central target of restrictive forces today. As for protest of these issues and controversies, there are two very contradicting beliefs. Many people like the idea of immigration, because it may add to our culture and help our country thrive. Though many other are against immigration, though many of their beliefs are derived from false information regarding their effects on our economy, that they take our jobs, don’t pay taxes, and aren't a functioning part of our economy, even though the government uses the citizens taxes to aid them. But in reality, they work in jobs that most Americans wouldn’t want to fill, they are a very important part of our economy, and actually pay more money in taxes compared to the money they get from the government. Overall, they actually are a very positive part of our country and help our country to be significantly more successful. I believe, if we were to raise quotas and change the terms under which asylees can enter the country, it would decrease some of the negative connotation with immigration policies of American cities. Immigration, though thought bad or negative of some Americans, has a positive effect on our country, economics, and society.
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