Immigration Scapegoats

Immigration issues have been a problem throughout history. This Society holds different perceptions on the topic. Some people favor the flow of immigrants while others oppose it. Immigration is a social problem that must constantly be reviewed due to the complexity of the problems. In this situation, different factors such as the quality of life for immigrants, how they impact the economy, how the implementation of policies would benefit them, have to be taken into consideration. Immigration policies affect all aspects of today’s society. The key figures in the immigration issue are immigrants, documented/undocumented, political figures.

The notion that immigrants are responsible for the high crime rate is anecdotal. There are many factors that may play a role in the high crime and high incarceration rate here in the United States—immigration is not one of them. The dynamic of immigration and crime is a complex issue; while acknowledging that the influx of immigrants does increase the overall population and may contribute to the overall crime rate, the link between crime and deviancy among immigrants are unclear. However, there is a perception that immigrants are prone to deviancy; as cited by Bailey (2014), a study conducted on behalf of John Jay College found that 62% of Americans attributed the higher crime rates to illegal immigrants. Unfortunately, such stereotypical perspectives serve to amplify the fear and concerns of many uninformed citizens. This phobia is then exacerbated by politicians, using it as a political platform propaganda to promote their own interest. In contrast, empirical studies and scholarships have revealed stark revelations between immigrants and crime; and contrary to the general perception, much of the existed empirical data not only disproves, but is largely one-sided—immigrants have a negative impact on crime. In fact, immigrants are less prone to crime than their counterpart, native–born Americans.

5) and has actually made concessions that play into the labeling of community members as good-immigrant and bad-immigrant. The labels of good and bad immigrant only helps to further normalize the criminalization and dehumanization of people based on their migrant status. “The logical consequence of adopting a good-immigrant and a bad-immigrant binary is agreement that the undocumented are criminals and thus the natural and race neutral solution must be to punish and deport the undocumented for their reputed transgression–not to challenge the underlying structural reason people migrate.” (Gonzales, p. 151) This leads to the fragmentation of the migrant population and often leads to the splitting of families. The short term victories in immigration reform with the onset of bills such as DACA (Deferred Action for Children Act) playing on the depiction of parents forcing illegal migration on their children and the institutional recognition of it not being the child’s fault that their parent were criminals continues to deny the larger societal structures that continue to only perpetuate deferred consequence under the guise of progress.

This paper explores the United States, Immigration Policy from an historical, fair and factual perspective. The Immigration Act of 1990 States limited “unskilled workers to 10,000 a year. Skilled labor requirements and immediate family reunification were major goals. The Act continued to promote the nuclear family model, foreign-born in the US was 7%”. This paper will also explore the demographics and diversity, of immigrants, throughout the U.S. This paper includes an article form the website of the Washington, D.C., Immigration Policy Center, and American Immigration Council. This paper will examines significant research data from the Pew Research web site on Hispanic trends and immigration, around the United States. This paper will also cover numbers, facts and trends which shape the immigration policy. This paper will also include five different books written by authors concerning the immigration policy and public issues which most concern Americans. This paper will cover topics of history of social problems and the policies that address immigration, special interest groups advocacy groups, political party and supporters, social justice and ethical issues, policy outcomes of illegal immigrants and how other countries compare to the United States when dealing with immigration.

Today one of the biggest issues in America is illegal immigration; these people travel from all over the world, and illegally cross national borders onto U.S soil in desperation to find a better life. Immigrants come to America in hopes of fulfilling the American dream, being free and safe from their original home lands. Most immigrants are illegal and come by the millions each year, which lead to many controversial disputes. The overflow of immigrants caused many citizens to question if these illegal immigrants are damaging America in various way and also by bringing in crime, drugs, and terrorists. Others state that immigrants truly aids the economy “Indeed, some sectors of the economy might have a hard time functioning without illegal workers. (Katel 395) Many citizens believe illegal immigrants are taking jobs, and abusing government benefits, however many argue that these immigrants in fact contribute to a stronger economic stimulus, take unwanted jobs, and some even create jobs for Americans.

Do you know that the number of illegal immigrants in the United States was estimated at 11.5 million in 2011 and now

The purpose of this essay is to point out that immigrants are a group that are discriminated against and that many of the allegations, in particular the allegation that immigrants avoid paying taxes, are false and misleading. The importance of this topic is to point out the erroneousness of these claims so that people will recognize the merits of immigrants that include honesty, diligence, and assistance to our economy and desist from scapegoating them. Stereotyping immigrants and unjustly accusing them only consequents in spreading lies and myths that can be harmful to our economy (as well as to the individuals involved) since we preclude ourselves form benefitting form their skills and we react in a distorted manner. The essay starts off by introducing the group, before reviewing historical attitude to the group, the unjustness of American attitude towards immigrants, correction of the myth that immigrants avoid paying taxes, and demonstration that immigrants are a resilient and hardworking group. Not only do immigrants even illegal immigrants pay their taxes (even though being ITIN holders they can escape

Immigration has been an essential but disruptive aspect of the people and the political state of the United States; however, debates related to immigration and its benefits are intensified significantly. Opposing immigration keeps ranting on how government should exercise better law to control over the people entering into the States from the foreign land. One of the most buzzed argument is that American citizen is unemployed because immigrants stole their jobs and disrupted the economy (Hoban, 2017). Also, an appeal to National security and vulnerability after several terrorist attacks all over the world and also to the government to keep track and maintain the no. of immigrants to create a safer environment (Cafaro, 2009). However, the contrary to these arguments have often been proven right. The pattern of the immigration shows that the contribution of the immigrants has resulted in an economic boost that cannot be overlooked by the government.

One of the most defining traits for the United States of America is that the nation is one made up of immigrants, it is a basic building block that can not be overlooked, nor should it. That being said, it is important to countless citizens to be open when it comes to immigration, while keeping the country hospitable to its citizens for generations to come. However, this attitude to immigration is a fairly recent phenomenon in American history, especially in regards to immigrants coming in from non-Western European countries. With the introduction of the Immigration Act of 1965 and the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) came about the changes to immigration policy that would forever change the face of the nation and create the diversity that has become a point of pride. The sentiment is not felt nationwide, however, as the immigration patterns brought about with these two acts has brought hostility as well, especially from those who feel that immigration is a threat to the country as a whole, specifically illegal immigration. Immigration, and its illegal counterpart, is an issue that defines this period in American history, and while it did not necessary start off targeting Mexican and Latino immigrants, it has very much been immortalized within the communities and become the face of immigrants to the nation as a whole.

Throughout the article, “The Framing of Immigration,” George Lakoff and Sam Ferguson hold an affirmative tone encouraging the public to view immigration not only politically, but also emotionally. The authors’ claim that today’s current debate on immigration is not fully grasping all the aspects, such as an analyzing immigrant's reasons for fleeing and how they live in America, later affecting it -- these reason must be taken into account to find an efficient solution where all countries must help to end this conflict. To emphasis their main claim they break down immigration, analyzing how they are referred to in a degrading manner, are being treated unfairly by the government in America, and encouraging readers to understand their perspective.

Immigration is currently a hot topic within in the United States government. Currently the United States Congress is fighting to decide the fate of the Dreamers, and the Immigration bill DACA. Like many controversial issues within the government, the Democrats and Republicans are in a disagreement on what to do. Each article, examines a different take on the current immigration reform. Bier’s main argument is that individuals who are contributing to immigration reform are ignorant, that Immigrants are not hurting the American Labor market. The next article, I examined, was written by Eric Cantor; Cantor states that although the parties each have a high stake on the decision Congress makes on DACA, there must be a decision otherwise, the law will remain status quo. Next, we look at Gessen’s article, the main argument is that immigrants should not be looked at valuable or illegal, they should not have to be talented in order to be welcome within the United States. Lastly, Vargas, an undocumented Immigrant, discusses the difficulties of being illegal within the United States, yet still shines light on the positive influences he had throughout his childhood and time in America.

The reforming of America?s immigration policy is something that can no longer be avoided and must be dealt with as soon as possible. Years of neglect by governmental agencies and policies makers have now made this issue one of the biggest in American politics. First of it must be understood that immigration does no only effect curtain areas of the country and curtain aspect of public life but rather all of American life. Both legal and illegal immigration affect major issues such as jobs availability for all citizens, wages, education in public schools system and in general, health care issues, and the homeland security.

Over the years, laws have been put into place to handle issues dealing with immigrants and the law. Immigrants are still held responsible for their actions regardless of their legal status in the country. The Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRAIRA) was established to define the consequences of laws that are broken by immigrants. The laws that are analyzed are ones that would result in deportation and or possibly detention. IIRAIRA may have limited the scope of immigration-related litigation in the United States is that it frequently puts immigrants in the same category as criminal defendants, which most likely influences how they are viewed by courts and by policy makers. Indeed, this conflating of the criminal and the immigrant has had its own subconscious negative effect on the view of immigrants (particularly those from Mexico and Central America) within the judiciary and, one would

Yee, V., Davis, K., & Patel, J. (2017, March 06). Here’s the Reality About Illegal Immigrants in the United States. Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/06/us/politics/undocumented-illegal-immigrants.html

Many immigrants come to the United States in search of the opportunity to have a better life. They have the willingness to work, seek out educational opportunities and to be productive members and contributors to society. Rarely do you find those instances where immigrants come here to take, destroy all that our nation has built and established. When you hear the current administration in the media use fear, as part of cultural destructiveness to destroy how our society view other cultures and diminish the worth of individuals within their own Netting, Kettner, McMurtry, Thomas, (pg. 64, 2012). By doing that the narrative around immigrants’ changes, people start to believe that immigrants are here committing crimes and a higher rate in comparison to Americans that are born here; For instance, during one of Donald’s Trump 2016 campaign speeches he said “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re