Immigration policy in America is very tricky, as there are those with strong beliefs on both sides. There are those who believe amnesty for undocumented immigrants living here is a solution, and there are those in favor of mass deportations. There those who want to build a wall to keep people out, and those who want to make the process simpler and more streamlined to let people in. There is no one perfect answer to these questions, as is the case with most political issues, and I am not an expert in the subject. However, I believe that people who are undocumented and obeying the law should have all the rights due to an American, and that immigrants of all kinds are welcome here. Regarding the border, a student at the lecture mentioned a merit based system of vetting potential immigrants, and that seemed like a good idea. Along with another idea a student brought up of a regular application based system, I feel like people would have a decent shot at making it into the country legally. Currently, I have heard that it is currently more like a lottery, and the process moves very slowly. If we could make it more consistent and fast, that would solve some issues in that regard. Another aspect to consider is what to do with undocumented immigrants already in the country. I have seen news reports and images of families being torn apart by ICE agents deporting some or all of their members, and that certainly doesn’t seem like the correct answer. I feel like amnesty for law abiding immigrants is the fair choice. I believe the textbook answer to “who should fix immigration policy” is the government. Congress should create a bill, and the President should sign it into law. But in the current political climate (horrible) I doubt any such thing will happen. Therefore, I believe it falls on the citizens of America to be vocal about their opinions, and vote into office those with similar views, so someday hopefully something good can be done for these immigrants.
America’s immigration policy has always been in a flux, and, depending on whom you ask, has always been flawed. In the beginning, people came to America seeking a safe haven (be it for religion, race, or to start a new life – the same reasons still heard today), and even then, people were blocked from entering the United States for the same reasons they sought it out. The arguments against immigrants are also the same: they are poor, they are uneducated, they are taking jobs away from “real” Americans, et cetera. They are just directed at new faces. For example, instead of blocking the Irish from immigrating, it is now people from Middle Eastern countries being stopped. It is no longer the Chinese stealing jobs but the Hispanics (though people can still argue out-sourcing jobs to China and Mexico, where it’s cheaper, is “stealing” American jobs).
Ideally, the people, as in the citizens who get to vote, should be the ones responsible for changing the immigration policies by voting in the representatives that share their opinions. Yet, this is not the case. The American government was made to act slowly so no rash decisions come about. Some parts of it are extremely outdated because they didn’t evolve with America as it grew since 1787, and as such, that intentional slow process is getting bogged down and twisted more than it was originally intended to. Getting past that ideal situation of the candidate being voted in, the judicial system has ruled the federal government is in charge of immigration policies. It makes perfect sense since the states are united; for example, it would be extremely stupid to have an immigration policy in Texas that differs from the one in New Mexico. The federal government just has to decide who they represent and have an obligation to, as the lecture covered. There is no concrete basis established over who is or is not an “American citizen,” so a good place to start fixing the immigration policies is providing a better definition.
You make a good point by bringing up the arguments against immigrants over time. They are often the same but the groups of people they target change. Trump’s Travel Ban that targets the Middle East is extremely similar to the Chinese Exclusion Act (which limited the number of Chinese immigrants in the mid 1800s) and the Immigration Act of 1924 which limited the number of immigrants from Eastern Europe. With each generation there seems to be a new target for xenophobic ideology.
Improving immigration policy in the US poses significant challenges since it is difficult to produce a filter that 1) prevents unwanted and dangerous persons from entering 2) allows qualified to enter 3) allows those who with the opportunities due to entering could flourish 4) prevents an overflow in the population size, and many other issues as well. As one can see, it is difficult to produce a policy that enables us to achieve an immigration system that has all those qualities simultaneously.
It may perhaps be of usefulness to consider an example from biology, as our bodies have their own “immigration” system of sorts in each cell. The cell membrane is composed of what is called a semi-permeable bilayer. This allows the membrane to selectively transport molecules and ions. It works well especially in preventing over expansion in size, and works in keeping bad toxic things out. In this example, ions can be taken as businesses, and their presence in the country could be beneficial or harmful. However, in practice, unlike the cell bilayer, it is difficult to transport something or someone outside the US once they have come in.
Another important aspect of the cell bilayer is the presence of transmembrane proteins such as 1) ligand-gated channels, and 2) voltage-gated channels. The first involves some sort of signaling molecule that enables transport into or out of the cell. These signaling molecules could be interpreted as countries, and it would be beneficial perhaps to accept the input of other countries when making decisions on immigration. Voltage-gated channels depend on the environmental condition outside in within the cell. The US immigration policy should perhaps be adjusted depending on the conditions (social or economic) within and outside the country.
Lastly, and most important, the cell bilayer is referred to as a “fluid” model. It changes often and similarly, a good immigration policy should be able to change depending on the needs of the cell i.e. the US. These ideas could and should be explored much further to implement specific policy improvements by Congress (who of course, as the representers of people, should be in charge of immigration, not the Judiciary or the Executive.)
Throughout American history, there have always been waves of immigration from various countries like China, Ireland, Italy, and Germany. Often these immigrants faced xenophobic backlash from lawmakers and citizens alike. Today, much of this xenophobic rhetoric has come back into main stream American politics. Many individuals like DREAMERS and refugees still have their legal status in limbo. Ideally, the President and Congress would be the responsible entities to update our immigration laws with the times. But because of the present state of the government, there seems to be more division than ever, and this division seems to deepen with controversial topics like immigration. This weeks GCF discussion really opened my eyes further with the state of immigration in this country. The question “What makes an American?” really made me think about the social aspects of helping immigrants settle into this country. While most of us can’t legally “fix” U.S. Immigration policy , we can take a stance to help Immigration Policy socially by helping immigrants settle and feel like they are part of the community and working to erase xenophobic ideology in our communities. This GCF presentation made me realize the extent to which Immigration has become a problem in this country. When one of the students raised his hand and described how as a non citizen he had to pay taxes , yet could not vote , I realized just how tough it is for many immigrants. Many immigrants, like the student who told his story during the presentation, lovingly serve their communities and pay their taxes. Yet many do not have a say in any of the policies that affect their lives and they often must live in constant fear of being forced to leave the country they supported. Obtaining a citizenship is often a long drawn out and costly process that eats up valuable time and monetary resources. Immigration is an issue that today is controversial but hopefully in the future it will not be. We all need to discuss immigration and communicate with law makers to let them know of our viewpoints on the matter. Thus, we all have a responsibility to help “fix” the Immigration Crisis.
I don’t think the xenophobic backlash has ever left the mainstream media, but it’s now headliner news instead of the third or fourth story. Otherwise, I agree about how diverse the issue has been (as in the people it has affected and the rhetoric attached to it). However, the president doesn’t make laws. That falls to the legislative branch alone. The president, as well as the judicial branch, can influence the decisions made, but, ultimately, it’s not them who makes the laws. Immigration isn’t something a lot of people think about, and it is far more complicated than most people think, like how your eyes were opened. It really says something, in my opinion, when we have people like the student you mentioned who pay taxes yet are belittled by society, and we also have people like Trump who proudly proclaim how they haven’t paid taxes in decades and are seen as heroes.
immigration policy has always been a major problem in American politics. The issues, more recently, have focused on undocumented immigrants and their hardships, including the threat of deportation at a moment’s notice. The question, is, of course, what the government can do about it, and primarily which branch – Congress or the President (though to some extent, the Supreme Court as well). Primarily total reform would be achieved through Congress, though the President could and should lead much of the charge for reform. I don’t think that deterrence of undocumented migration should be the primary focus; these people provide significant value to the economy and take jobs that other Americans often won’t. However, we should also make their lives easier. One way to do this would be to increase education opportunities available to all immigrants, documented or undocumented. This would smooth their transition to American society, and any education obtained could be applied towards a job – whether that education be classes/ certifications at a higher education institution, trade school, etc. There are still vital areas of the economy that lack people willing to fill them, trades among them. One solution would be to incentivize those going onto trades, including for immigrants. Skilled immigration should be more encouraged as well – the U.S. ranks quite highly in attracting skilled migrants.
In addition to jobs, the immigration process itself needs to be streamlined. Becoming a naturalized citizen after obtaining a green card isn’t too difficult – that’s around 5 years, depending on the individual’s situation. However, getting the green card can be a complex, costly, and lengthy headache – applicants may spend thousands hiring immigration lawyers and waiting in limbo. Having immigrants stuck waiting may be more harmful for the country than good, as these people miss out on the many benefits that citizens enjoy, including access to financial aid for higher education students. Such a new law would be a hard sell to Congress, who would have to pass the new law; the system isn’t meant to change quickly, and numerous lobbies exist that support the status quo. However, grassroots education on the complexities of the immigration system may help start movements that bring individual representatives and senators to the cause. And, of course, as citizens, we have a responsibility to vote for representatives that support our views, including on immigration.
Regardless of what political party you champion, it is a common sentiment that our immigration policies are in need of a massive reform. Illegal immigration is a common issue for our country, and I honestly believe that it is because our system makes it so hard for those born outside of the US to become citizens through a legal manner. It has also come to my attention that it is hard for a lot of foreigners to even enter this country in a legal manner. I think most of the pathways to immigration reform lie in repairing these difficulties. There are green card applications that have yet to be processed after multiple years, or people who have yet to be selected through the green card lottery. I think streamlining this process would be a great start. If we’re looking at a complete overhaul, the merit system that has been talked is not a bad idea. It would allow those who are interested in becoming citizens or visiting, such as a checklist of sorts. A checklist that when done, would guarantee them passage into the country. I believe having a guaranteed method would decrease illegal immigration because people wouldn’t feel as if their only reasonable way to enter into or stay in this country was through illegal means.
I think we, as potential voters are responsible for fixing it. As Dr. Belco mentioned in her presentation, the people of congress answer to their constituents. We show our happiness with the legislators through voting for them, and we show our displeasure through voting for someone else. Our congress is currently polarized, and neither of the 2 major parties are willing to budge on the topic of immigration reform. If we vote in congressmen who state in their platform that they would actively seek for a bipartisan reform instead of just focusing on furthering the agenda of their respective political parties, then our country would be on the fast track to substantial immigration reform.
From the creation of the United States until the present day, immigration and immigrants have always caused disagreements between people. In recent times, the topic has become more prevalent, especially because of the president’s constant remarks and promises, but it didn’t start with Trump. For decades, presidents have made promises during their candidacy about fixing or completely overturning the current laws regarding illegal immigration, but not much change has happened. For many, it is the president’s role to fix the immigration policy, but everyone has to contribute in order to make any significant change. The president of course has a major role, but all members of Congress must also come to an agreement on what they want to change regarding illegal and legal immigration. As Dr. Belco mentioned, DACA was a major step in creating laws that benefited illegal immigrants and the United States too because it provided a legal way for DREAMers to stay in the United States legally. Though it is the government’s responsibility to fix the system, it is equally important for citizens to push for a reform but also change their attitudes about immigrants. As one student mentioned during the discussion, a large majority of immigrants pay taxes and contribute greatly to the economy yet they are still seen as criminals, drug dealers and rapists. Only once immigrants are seen as real people rather than “bad people” will the government and American citizens alike be able to come up with a feasible solution. Forcibly removing or deporting thousands of people is not only improbable, but also inhumane, so laws need to be created to facilitate the process of dealing with immigrants. With the current process, it can take more than 20 years to get through the process of becoming citizens, and it is even a long difficult process for refugees. By changing how immigrants are seen and finding ways to benefit both the government and the people will we be able to have a more unified country.
Immigration policy in the U.S. has always been flawed; reforms have historically been set in place to limit immigration with the intent of keeping the best interest of the American people. In reality, these limitations are often made out of fear and belief that immigrants will harm the country in one way or another. The primary reason our immigration policy is, and has always been, flawed is because we – the government as well as the people – fail to recognize the importance of immigration and its benefits. Immigration allows others the opportunity to create better lives for themselves and their families in this country: A core value of American identity, with its roots stretching all the way back to Manifest Destiny as well as the founding of the country itself. To deny this opportunity would be to reject the central value America was founded and built upon.
It’s often brushed aside that the U.S. is a country founded on immigration; before Europeans founded the colonies, this country was inhabited by Native Americans. Even after that, more immigrants (including those brought here against their will) came to America and made significant contributions to the construction of this country. The United States is undeniably a country built off of slavery and the work of immigrants; we would be nowhere near the same country without the help of immigrants.
So who are we to deny immigration now of all times? Immigrants make more contributions to what defines American society and culture then often acknowledged. We can still be America first but not at the expense of severely limiting immigration. While limits should be set in place, the very flaw of our immigration policy is where to place those limits and the extent of those limits. If the government and the people were to fully recognize the necessity of immigration to the progression of the U.S., maybe these limits would be allocated appropriately. Either way, the discussion about the limits to immigration must continue – without misconstrued ideas of immigrants and what they contribute to the U.S.
Ultimately, since America is founded on democratic ideas, I believe that it is the voters who are ideally responsible for fixing the current immigration policy. Moreover, I believe that the voters should be the ones who decide on what is considered a “broken” system. Because immigration policies can be so dynamic, I think that different times and situations call for different policy changes. Generally, I think that for a system to be considered “broken”, it must be the case that either a large amount of unqualified people finds loopholes in the system to become an American, or a large amount of people who would be hardworking and law-abiding citizens are refused. This, in conjunction with striving towards a smooth bureaucracy can always be improved, either through technology or adequate employment in those administrative areas.
However, although I believe many people can agree on these general parameters, I know many people who have different ideas of what immigration policies should be geared towards. Many people believe that all people from around the world should be able to have a chance to come into the country, others argue that we must be pickier with blue-collar workers to save lower-class American jobs. Still, others are against any immigration at all.
Rather than thinking how we “fix” this situation, I like to think that, as voters in a democracy, we should utilize our democratic powers in debates to come to conclusions and compromises to get to a system that most people are happy with. As voters, we should elect officials that we don’t only agree with, but that we also believe will engage in the current debate on these different views of immigration. In true democratic spirit, we should approach a situation as dynamic as immigration with constant debate on what immigration policies will be the best choice for the well-being of the American public.
The United States Immigration Policy has come under a lot of fire in recent times, and the debate is now in contention more than ever after President Donald Trump spoke about his vision during his State Of The Union Address, during which he presented four pillars for how immigration will be handled by the US. The first pillar was to push the House and Congress to come to a conclusion about the DACA recipients by granting them a pathway to citizenship. The second is to make the American borders more secure by building a wall on the Southern border. The next pillar addressed the Visa lottery program, which gives green cards randomly to residents. The final pillar is to end chain migration, which he states that “under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives.”
The majority of America that complains that our immigration system is flawed argue very similarly to the points of Trump’s second, third, and fourth pillars. I believe that the second pillar is very reasonable in that we must crack down on illegal immigration, however a building a wall is not a solution for it for many reasons. One such reason is that it would have a negative impact on the environment, stopping the migration of some species that go back and forth between the US and Mexico border. Another reason is that if the wall was built we would be giving control over the Rio Grande to Mexico. I don’t believe that the lottery program must end as it gives green cards to people that already have the right to be here on visas, and making them permanent residents makes no change in their lifestyle. Trump’s fourth pillar is largely exaggerated as it takes many years to bring over family and is not realistic to have an entire “clan” immigrate. The ones responsible for changing America’s immigration policies are the federal and local governments, and they must do this by listening to the people they represent, as these people are the ones that voted for them.
Immigration is a sensitive subject for many people. Most everyone has very strong opinions about it. Some people feel that they are putting themselves in danger physically or financially if they let immigrants join the country. They want an “America First” policy. I feel that this is looking at the issue from a narrow point of view. Often times the jobs that immigrants take are ones that citizens are not. They still pay taxes, work, and buy things, all of which contributes to this country’s economy. It seems to me that the idea of putting America First in this way is simply about personal fears, when instead I think that government policies such as these should be more about protections and rights. Putting America first in this case means putting everyone else after. I do not see why other people should come after. They have just as much of a right to live and have their rights protected. I think that one of the first steps in fixing some of these problems is to change this way of thinking. If people see others as their equals, rather than lesser individuals or even as opponents, it would at least let us start trying to understand each other. I think that most of the problem is a lack of understanding. Many people that have issues with immigrants do not fully understand the challenges that they face and the decisions that they make. It is much more complicated than a lot of people realize and unless they are somehow helped to learn about the real situation, no changes are likely to be made. However, because they do not care about immigrants, this makes it harder to get correct information to them.
Immigrants themselves cannot do very much other than share their stories and try to change people’s views about them. This is why the task of making real changes happen in governmental policy lies in the hands of the citizens and elected officials that can speak with representatives and vote. The focus should be on helping and protecting people’s rights, rather than shutting them out due to arbitrary information such as where they were born.
Immigration has always focused on the immigrant’s perspective. Their the ones that face all the consequences from policies and laws thrown around every few months. But the ball is in lawmakers hands. They are the ultimate deciders and have a tough choices they must make, highlighted in this week’s Grand Challenges Forum.
Nothing will be accomplished without a compromise between republicans and democrats. Not many years ago lawmakers would be applauded for reaching a compromise, now they are exonerated from by their own parties for giving up an inch. It’s a catch-22. No deal will get done without a compromise, and many from both sides will reject any compromise. Of course something will give in and a deal some sort eventually will be made. But that leaves the risk of their being a time with no deal done, like we saw with the last government shutdowns.
To fix immigration, both sides need to come to an agreement and disregard the backlash they’ll receive from the extreme ends of their parties. Because, a compromise of any kind will elicit responses saying “You made a deal with the republicans/democrats, how could you?”
Lawmakers need to stand strong by their compromise. Lawmakers live and die by elections, and to me it is better to have made a deal then leave millions of people have an uncertain future. Immigration needs a solution now. Staying hung up on immigration for weeks or months like we have started this year leaves other issues under attended.
It’s a struggle for all sides. Immigrants have ingrained their lives in America just as much as any of us, lawmakers have to look at the issue from a government’s multifaceted perspective and delineate all those issues. I can’t say exactly what a compromise looks like. But, it starts with lawmakers from both sides looking past their own parties yelling and reaching a deal.
The world as we know it is changing rapidly yet one thing that seems to be stagnant is American immigration policy. Opinions are both a blessing and a curse, and many conflicting opinions surround this topic. My opinion, of course, will add to this growing list.
First, I will address immigrants who come to America seeking a better life. People searching for jobs and opportunities should not be turned away. I think we should follow Canada’s example. It is a very well-run country with very little social strife. We should follow merit based system to the best candidates have an easier time to get in. The merit system should not in any way take into account the race or country the immigrant is from. In addition to this, there should also be a green card lottery sytem.
Next, the issue of refugee policy came up during lecture. The president has cut refugees from entering and enacted a travel ban which is both morally and lawfully wrong. During World War II, many countries ignored what was happening to the Jewish people and in result the Holocaust happened. After World War II many countries agreed to provide asylum for refugees. Now in 2018, rich countries only admit a shocking 14% of refugees; whereafter they are greeted with hatred and prejudice. We cannot repeat this mistake. We cannot allow for this prejudice, racism, and xenophobic exclusions to continue in our country. America needs to accept more people seeking asylum no matter where they are from or what religion they are.
This is a process that should be done through Congress. This will ensure that that the president doesn’t gain too much power and control. Because laws will be made, laws made in the past cannot be over turned the whim of the next president. However, the executive branch must also be on board so that he/she enforces and enacts the new laws.
Grand Challenges Forum 
Immigration policy in America is very tricky, as there are those with strong beliefs on both sides. There are those who believe amnesty for undocumented immigrants living here is a solution, and there are those in favor of mass deportations. There those who want to build a wall to keep people out, and those who want to make the process simpler and more streamlined to let people in. There is no one perfect answer to these questions, as is the case with most political issues, and I am not an expert in the subject. However, I believe that people who are undocumented and obeying the law should have all the rights due to an American, and that immigrants of all kinds are welcome here. Regarding the border, a student at the lecture mentioned a merit based system of vetting potential immigrants, and that seemed like a good idea. Along with another idea a student brought up of a regular application based system, I feel like people would have a decent shot at making it into the country legally. Currently, I have heard that it is currently more like a lottery, and the process moves very slowly. If we could make it more consistent and fast, that would solve some issues in that regard. Another aspect to consider is what to do with undocumented immigrants already in the country. I have seen news reports and images of families being torn apart by ICE agents deporting some or all of their members, and that certainly doesn’t seem like the correct answer. I feel like amnesty for law abiding immigrants is the fair choice. I believe the textbook answer to “who should fix immigration policy” is the government. Congress should create a bill, and the President should sign it into law. But in the current political climate (horrible) I doubt any such thing will happen. Therefore, I believe it falls on the citizens of America to be vocal about their opinions, and vote into office those with similar views, so someday hopefully something good can be done for these immigrants.
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America’s immigration policy has always been in a flux, and, depending on whom you ask, has always been flawed. In the beginning, people came to America seeking a safe haven (be it for religion, race, or to start a new life – the same reasons still heard today), and even then, people were blocked from entering the United States for the same reasons they sought it out. The arguments against immigrants are also the same: they are poor, they are uneducated, they are taking jobs away from “real” Americans, et cetera. They are just directed at new faces. For example, instead of blocking the Irish from immigrating, it is now people from Middle Eastern countries being stopped. It is no longer the Chinese stealing jobs but the Hispanics (though people can still argue out-sourcing jobs to China and Mexico, where it’s cheaper, is “stealing” American jobs).
Ideally, the people, as in the citizens who get to vote, should be the ones responsible for changing the immigration policies by voting in the representatives that share their opinions. Yet, this is not the case. The American government was made to act slowly so no rash decisions come about. Some parts of it are extremely outdated because they didn’t evolve with America as it grew since 1787, and as such, that intentional slow process is getting bogged down and twisted more than it was originally intended to. Getting past that ideal situation of the candidate being voted in, the judicial system has ruled the federal government is in charge of immigration policies. It makes perfect sense since the states are united; for example, it would be extremely stupid to have an immigration policy in Texas that differs from the one in New Mexico. The federal government just has to decide who they represent and have an obligation to, as the lecture covered. There is no concrete basis established over who is or is not an “American citizen,” so a good place to start fixing the immigration policies is providing a better definition.
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You make a good point by bringing up the arguments against immigrants over time. They are often the same but the groups of people they target change. Trump’s Travel Ban that targets the Middle East is extremely similar to the Chinese Exclusion Act (which limited the number of Chinese immigrants in the mid 1800s) and the Immigration Act of 1924 which limited the number of immigrants from Eastern Europe. With each generation there seems to be a new target for xenophobic ideology.
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Improving immigration policy in the US poses significant challenges since it is difficult to produce a filter that 1) prevents unwanted and dangerous persons from entering 2) allows qualified to enter 3) allows those who with the opportunities due to entering could flourish 4) prevents an overflow in the population size, and many other issues as well. As one can see, it is difficult to produce a policy that enables us to achieve an immigration system that has all those qualities simultaneously.
It may perhaps be of usefulness to consider an example from biology, as our bodies have their own “immigration” system of sorts in each cell. The cell membrane is composed of what is called a semi-permeable bilayer. This allows the membrane to selectively transport molecules and ions. It works well especially in preventing over expansion in size, and works in keeping bad toxic things out. In this example, ions can be taken as businesses, and their presence in the country could be beneficial or harmful. However, in practice, unlike the cell bilayer, it is difficult to transport something or someone outside the US once they have come in.
Another important aspect of the cell bilayer is the presence of transmembrane proteins such as 1) ligand-gated channels, and 2) voltage-gated channels. The first involves some sort of signaling molecule that enables transport into or out of the cell. These signaling molecules could be interpreted as countries, and it would be beneficial perhaps to accept the input of other countries when making decisions on immigration. Voltage-gated channels depend on the environmental condition outside in within the cell. The US immigration policy should perhaps be adjusted depending on the conditions (social or economic) within and outside the country.
Lastly, and most important, the cell bilayer is referred to as a “fluid” model. It changes often and similarly, a good immigration policy should be able to change depending on the needs of the cell i.e. the US. These ideas could and should be explored much further to implement specific policy improvements by Congress (who of course, as the representers of people, should be in charge of immigration, not the Judiciary or the Executive.)
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Throughout American history, there have always been waves of immigration from various countries like China, Ireland, Italy, and Germany. Often these immigrants faced xenophobic backlash from lawmakers and citizens alike. Today, much of this xenophobic rhetoric has come back into main stream American politics. Many individuals like DREAMERS and refugees still have their legal status in limbo. Ideally, the President and Congress would be the responsible entities to update our immigration laws with the times. But because of the present state of the government, there seems to be more division than ever, and this division seems to deepen with controversial topics like immigration. This weeks GCF discussion really opened my eyes further with the state of immigration in this country. The question “What makes an American?” really made me think about the social aspects of helping immigrants settle into this country. While most of us can’t legally “fix” U.S. Immigration policy , we can take a stance to help Immigration Policy socially by helping immigrants settle and feel like they are part of the community and working to erase xenophobic ideology in our communities. This GCF presentation made me realize the extent to which Immigration has become a problem in this country. When one of the students raised his hand and described how as a non citizen he had to pay taxes , yet could not vote , I realized just how tough it is for many immigrants. Many immigrants, like the student who told his story during the presentation, lovingly serve their communities and pay their taxes. Yet many do not have a say in any of the policies that affect their lives and they often must live in constant fear of being forced to leave the country they supported. Obtaining a citizenship is often a long drawn out and costly process that eats up valuable time and monetary resources. Immigration is an issue that today is controversial but hopefully in the future it will not be. We all need to discuss immigration and communicate with law makers to let them know of our viewpoints on the matter. Thus, we all have a responsibility to help “fix” the Immigration Crisis.
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I don’t think the xenophobic backlash has ever left the mainstream media, but it’s now headliner news instead of the third or fourth story. Otherwise, I agree about how diverse the issue has been (as in the people it has affected and the rhetoric attached to it). However, the president doesn’t make laws. That falls to the legislative branch alone. The president, as well as the judicial branch, can influence the decisions made, but, ultimately, it’s not them who makes the laws. Immigration isn’t something a lot of people think about, and it is far more complicated than most people think, like how your eyes were opened. It really says something, in my opinion, when we have people like the student you mentioned who pay taxes yet are belittled by society, and we also have people like Trump who proudly proclaim how they haven’t paid taxes in decades and are seen as heroes.
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immigration policy has always been a major problem in American politics. The issues, more recently, have focused on undocumented immigrants and their hardships, including the threat of deportation at a moment’s notice. The question, is, of course, what the government can do about it, and primarily which branch – Congress or the President (though to some extent, the Supreme Court as well). Primarily total reform would be achieved through Congress, though the President could and should lead much of the charge for reform. I don’t think that deterrence of undocumented migration should be the primary focus; these people provide significant value to the economy and take jobs that other Americans often won’t. However, we should also make their lives easier. One way to do this would be to increase education opportunities available to all immigrants, documented or undocumented. This would smooth their transition to American society, and any education obtained could be applied towards a job – whether that education be classes/ certifications at a higher education institution, trade school, etc. There are still vital areas of the economy that lack people willing to fill them, trades among them. One solution would be to incentivize those going onto trades, including for immigrants. Skilled immigration should be more encouraged as well – the U.S. ranks quite highly in attracting skilled migrants.
In addition to jobs, the immigration process itself needs to be streamlined. Becoming a naturalized citizen after obtaining a green card isn’t too difficult – that’s around 5 years, depending on the individual’s situation. However, getting the green card can be a complex, costly, and lengthy headache – applicants may spend thousands hiring immigration lawyers and waiting in limbo. Having immigrants stuck waiting may be more harmful for the country than good, as these people miss out on the many benefits that citizens enjoy, including access to financial aid for higher education students. Such a new law would be a hard sell to Congress, who would have to pass the new law; the system isn’t meant to change quickly, and numerous lobbies exist that support the status quo. However, grassroots education on the complexities of the immigration system may help start movements that bring individual representatives and senators to the cause. And, of course, as citizens, we have a responsibility to vote for representatives that support our views, including on immigration.
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Regardless of what political party you champion, it is a common sentiment that our immigration policies are in need of a massive reform. Illegal immigration is a common issue for our country, and I honestly believe that it is because our system makes it so hard for those born outside of the US to become citizens through a legal manner. It has also come to my attention that it is hard for a lot of foreigners to even enter this country in a legal manner. I think most of the pathways to immigration reform lie in repairing these difficulties. There are green card applications that have yet to be processed after multiple years, or people who have yet to be selected through the green card lottery. I think streamlining this process would be a great start. If we’re looking at a complete overhaul, the merit system that has been talked is not a bad idea. It would allow those who are interested in becoming citizens or visiting, such as a checklist of sorts. A checklist that when done, would guarantee them passage into the country. I believe having a guaranteed method would decrease illegal immigration because people wouldn’t feel as if their only reasonable way to enter into or stay in this country was through illegal means.
I think we, as potential voters are responsible for fixing it. As Dr. Belco mentioned in her presentation, the people of congress answer to their constituents. We show our happiness with the legislators through voting for them, and we show our displeasure through voting for someone else. Our congress is currently polarized, and neither of the 2 major parties are willing to budge on the topic of immigration reform. If we vote in congressmen who state in their platform that they would actively seek for a bipartisan reform instead of just focusing on furthering the agenda of their respective political parties, then our country would be on the fast track to substantial immigration reform.
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From the creation of the United States until the present day, immigration and immigrants have always caused disagreements between people. In recent times, the topic has become more prevalent, especially because of the president’s constant remarks and promises, but it didn’t start with Trump. For decades, presidents have made promises during their candidacy about fixing or completely overturning the current laws regarding illegal immigration, but not much change has happened. For many, it is the president’s role to fix the immigration policy, but everyone has to contribute in order to make any significant change. The president of course has a major role, but all members of Congress must also come to an agreement on what they want to change regarding illegal and legal immigration. As Dr. Belco mentioned, DACA was a major step in creating laws that benefited illegal immigrants and the United States too because it provided a legal way for DREAMers to stay in the United States legally. Though it is the government’s responsibility to fix the system, it is equally important for citizens to push for a reform but also change their attitudes about immigrants. As one student mentioned during the discussion, a large majority of immigrants pay taxes and contribute greatly to the economy yet they are still seen as criminals, drug dealers and rapists. Only once immigrants are seen as real people rather than “bad people” will the government and American citizens alike be able to come up with a feasible solution. Forcibly removing or deporting thousands of people is not only improbable, but also inhumane, so laws need to be created to facilitate the process of dealing with immigrants. With the current process, it can take more than 20 years to get through the process of becoming citizens, and it is even a long difficult process for refugees. By changing how immigrants are seen and finding ways to benefit both the government and the people will we be able to have a more unified country.
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Immigration policy in the U.S. has always been flawed; reforms have historically been set in place to limit immigration with the intent of keeping the best interest of the American people. In reality, these limitations are often made out of fear and belief that immigrants will harm the country in one way or another. The primary reason our immigration policy is, and has always been, flawed is because we – the government as well as the people – fail to recognize the importance of immigration and its benefits. Immigration allows others the opportunity to create better lives for themselves and their families in this country: A core value of American identity, with its roots stretching all the way back to Manifest Destiny as well as the founding of the country itself. To deny this opportunity would be to reject the central value America was founded and built upon.
It’s often brushed aside that the U.S. is a country founded on immigration; before Europeans founded the colonies, this country was inhabited by Native Americans. Even after that, more immigrants (including those brought here against their will) came to America and made significant contributions to the construction of this country. The United States is undeniably a country built off of slavery and the work of immigrants; we would be nowhere near the same country without the help of immigrants.
So who are we to deny immigration now of all times? Immigrants make more contributions to what defines American society and culture then often acknowledged. We can still be America first but not at the expense of severely limiting immigration. While limits should be set in place, the very flaw of our immigration policy is where to place those limits and the extent of those limits. If the government and the people were to fully recognize the necessity of immigration to the progression of the U.S., maybe these limits would be allocated appropriately. Either way, the discussion about the limits to immigration must continue – without misconstrued ideas of immigrants and what they contribute to the U.S.
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Ultimately, since America is founded on democratic ideas, I believe that it is the voters who are ideally responsible for fixing the current immigration policy. Moreover, I believe that the voters should be the ones who decide on what is considered a “broken” system. Because immigration policies can be so dynamic, I think that different times and situations call for different policy changes. Generally, I think that for a system to be considered “broken”, it must be the case that either a large amount of unqualified people finds loopholes in the system to become an American, or a large amount of people who would be hardworking and law-abiding citizens are refused. This, in conjunction with striving towards a smooth bureaucracy can always be improved, either through technology or adequate employment in those administrative areas.
However, although I believe many people can agree on these general parameters, I know many people who have different ideas of what immigration policies should be geared towards. Many people believe that all people from around the world should be able to have a chance to come into the country, others argue that we must be pickier with blue-collar workers to save lower-class American jobs. Still, others are against any immigration at all.
Rather than thinking how we “fix” this situation, I like to think that, as voters in a democracy, we should utilize our democratic powers in debates to come to conclusions and compromises to get to a system that most people are happy with. As voters, we should elect officials that we don’t only agree with, but that we also believe will engage in the current debate on these different views of immigration. In true democratic spirit, we should approach a situation as dynamic as immigration with constant debate on what immigration policies will be the best choice for the well-being of the American public.
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The United States Immigration Policy has come under a lot of fire in recent times, and the debate is now in contention more than ever after President Donald Trump spoke about his vision during his State Of The Union Address, during which he presented four pillars for how immigration will be handled by the US. The first pillar was to push the House and Congress to come to a conclusion about the DACA recipients by granting them a pathway to citizenship. The second is to make the American borders more secure by building a wall on the Southern border. The next pillar addressed the Visa lottery program, which gives green cards randomly to residents. The final pillar is to end chain migration, which he states that “under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives.”
The majority of America that complains that our immigration system is flawed argue very similarly to the points of Trump’s second, third, and fourth pillars. I believe that the second pillar is very reasonable in that we must crack down on illegal immigration, however a building a wall is not a solution for it for many reasons. One such reason is that it would have a negative impact on the environment, stopping the migration of some species that go back and forth between the US and Mexico border. Another reason is that if the wall was built we would be giving control over the Rio Grande to Mexico. I don’t believe that the lottery program must end as it gives green cards to people that already have the right to be here on visas, and making them permanent residents makes no change in their lifestyle. Trump’s fourth pillar is largely exaggerated as it takes many years to bring over family and is not realistic to have an entire “clan” immigrate. The ones responsible for changing America’s immigration policies are the federal and local governments, and they must do this by listening to the people they represent, as these people are the ones that voted for them.
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Immigration is a sensitive subject for many people. Most everyone has very strong opinions about it. Some people feel that they are putting themselves in danger physically or financially if they let immigrants join the country. They want an “America First” policy. I feel that this is looking at the issue from a narrow point of view. Often times the jobs that immigrants take are ones that citizens are not. They still pay taxes, work, and buy things, all of which contributes to this country’s economy. It seems to me that the idea of putting America First in this way is simply about personal fears, when instead I think that government policies such as these should be more about protections and rights. Putting America first in this case means putting everyone else after. I do not see why other people should come after. They have just as much of a right to live and have their rights protected. I think that one of the first steps in fixing some of these problems is to change this way of thinking. If people see others as their equals, rather than lesser individuals or even as opponents, it would at least let us start trying to understand each other. I think that most of the problem is a lack of understanding. Many people that have issues with immigrants do not fully understand the challenges that they face and the decisions that they make. It is much more complicated than a lot of people realize and unless they are somehow helped to learn about the real situation, no changes are likely to be made. However, because they do not care about immigrants, this makes it harder to get correct information to them.
Immigrants themselves cannot do very much other than share their stories and try to change people’s views about them. This is why the task of making real changes happen in governmental policy lies in the hands of the citizens and elected officials that can speak with representatives and vote. The focus should be on helping and protecting people’s rights, rather than shutting them out due to arbitrary information such as where they were born.
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Immigration has always focused on the immigrant’s perspective. Their the ones that face all the consequences from policies and laws thrown around every few months. But the ball is in lawmakers hands. They are the ultimate deciders and have a tough choices they must make, highlighted in this week’s Grand Challenges Forum.
Nothing will be accomplished without a compromise between republicans and democrats. Not many years ago lawmakers would be applauded for reaching a compromise, now they are exonerated from by their own parties for giving up an inch. It’s a catch-22. No deal will get done without a compromise, and many from both sides will reject any compromise. Of course something will give in and a deal some sort eventually will be made. But that leaves the risk of their being a time with no deal done, like we saw with the last government shutdowns.
To fix immigration, both sides need to come to an agreement and disregard the backlash they’ll receive from the extreme ends of their parties. Because, a compromise of any kind will elicit responses saying “You made a deal with the republicans/democrats, how could you?”
Lawmakers need to stand strong by their compromise. Lawmakers live and die by elections, and to me it is better to have made a deal then leave millions of people have an uncertain future. Immigration needs a solution now. Staying hung up on immigration for weeks or months like we have started this year leaves other issues under attended.
It’s a struggle for all sides. Immigrants have ingrained their lives in America just as much as any of us, lawmakers have to look at the issue from a government’s multifaceted perspective and delineate all those issues. I can’t say exactly what a compromise looks like. But, it starts with lawmakers from both sides looking past their own parties yelling and reaching a deal.
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The world as we know it is changing rapidly yet one thing that seems to be stagnant is American immigration policy. Opinions are both a blessing and a curse, and many conflicting opinions surround this topic. My opinion, of course, will add to this growing list.
First, I will address immigrants who come to America seeking a better life. People searching for jobs and opportunities should not be turned away. I think we should follow Canada’s example. It is a very well-run country with very little social strife. We should follow merit based system to the best candidates have an easier time to get in. The merit system should not in any way take into account the race or country the immigrant is from. In addition to this, there should also be a green card lottery sytem.
Next, the issue of refugee policy came up during lecture. The president has cut refugees from entering and enacted a travel ban which is both morally and lawfully wrong. During World War II, many countries ignored what was happening to the Jewish people and in result the Holocaust happened. After World War II many countries agreed to provide asylum for refugees. Now in 2018, rich countries only admit a shocking 14% of refugees; whereafter they are greeted with hatred and prejudice. We cannot repeat this mistake. We cannot allow for this prejudice, racism, and xenophobic exclusions to continue in our country. America needs to accept more people seeking asylum no matter where they are from or what religion they are.
This is a process that should be done through Congress. This will ensure that that the president doesn’t gain too much power and control. Because laws will be made, laws made in the past cannot be over turned the whim of the next president. However, the executive branch must also be on board so that he/she enforces and enacts the new laws.
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