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Immigration is one of the most controversial and divisive issues in the USA at the moment. In December 2005, a Washington Post/ ABC News poll found that Americans regarded illegal immigration as the fourth most important national issue, after Iraq , the economy and health care. Opinions are divided, however, on how to tackle the situation. Although the issue is one which can polarise debate, the Washington Post/ ABC poll mentioned above suggested that a majority of Americans do not think that sending illegal immigrants home or punishing them will solve the problem of illegal immigration, and a more comprehensive solution is required.
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Supporters of immigration generally believe America was, and still is, a country whose strength and wellbeing is built on immigrants. They boast about a multicultural USA , and use phrases like ‘melting pot' and ‘salad bowl' to represent the mix.
Taking a different line, some opponents of immigration argue that current non-European (non-white) immigration is changing the American heritage, which is primarily Northern European, and endangering the cultural future of the country. This argument might be said to be racist in tone. |
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The truth is that the challenges we face as a nation have not been imported by our immigrants, nor would they disappear if we could only succeed in sealing our borders for good - even if that were possible. In fact there is a good reason to believe that some of the problems we should take most seriously as a people - from the decline in our economic competitiveness to the decay of our community values - are problems that the new immigrants can help us solve
Mario Cuomo, Governor of New York State (1993)
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Supporters of the rights of immigrants argue that they are mostly law-abiding and essential to the American economy and are being wrongly characterised as dangerous and potentially violent.
The business community, especially those operating in many of the southern states whose success depends on the labour provided only by low-skilled immigrants, does not want to see the end of ‘casual' migration. The Essential Worker Immigration Coalition , an alliance of service-industry employers, is one organisation campaigning for immigration reform. This organisation argues there are almost two million fewer American-born, low-skilled workers now than there were five years ago. This employers' group is desperate to locate staff for its construction, health care and hospitality industries.
Those against say the number of immigrants should be restricted because they take away jobs from American citizens. They want to see illegal immigrants expelled and want existing laws, which are designed to keep out new migrants, effectively enforced. |
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There is another reason why immigration policy is a major issue for the Americans. Following the attacks on the Twin Towers on 11 th September 2001, there is a heightened perception of an increased threat from terrorist attacks within America . The people who worry about this need to be reassured that the country's security arrangements are adequate.
Many think America 's borders, especially the southern border with Mexico , are a possible entry route for its enemies. They want to see effective policing along those borders. This does not suit those who are happy to employ illegal migrants who steal into the country for low paid-work or who see immigrants as hard working, decent souls, trying to make a better life than they could dream of in their home countries. |
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Illegal immigrants enter the USA from a variety of countries. But successive governments have placed the emphasis of their immigration control policy on strict enforcement of the border with Mexico . Since 2001, this security has been tightened.
One effect of increased border security has been to increase the death toll amongst people trying to enter the country without permission. Fences, security technology and strict checks at accessible border crossing points have forced people trying to get into the USA to take more dangerous routes. Many cross the desert on foot, often guided by smugglers whom they have paid to get them across the border. These guides often lead their parties into dangerous terrain and are likely to abandon them at the first sign of trouble. Official figures suggest a record number of 460 people died trying to cross the south west border between 2004 and 2005. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), up to 2000 people have died trying to enter the USA in the past ten years.
As well as smuggling people across the border, organised gangs also smuggle drugs. In some border areas there has been an increase in crime and drug-related activity. In 2005, Arizona and New Mexico declared states of emergency, saying they did not have the resources to cope with what was essentially a federal problem. As security has been tightened, criminals have retaliated. In 2006, national Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar said that violent assaults on agents along the southwest border had more than doubled on the previous year.
Some people see the immigrants as victims of the criminal gangs who charge them money to get them across the border. Others regard all immigrants as criminals, and make no distinction between those involved with drugs or crime and those simply looking to build a better life.
Recently, the appearance on the scene of the Minutemen ‘vigilante' groups has led to the issue of immigration becoming more of a political hot potato. These armed groups of residents have taken matters into their own hands by watching and patrolling the border.
The founder of the Minutemen Civil Defence Corps , Chris Simcox, argues the federal government is incapable of enforcing the law on illegal entry, so concerned citizens have had to step in to spot and report undocumented immigrants to the Border Patrol. The Minutemen are organising in local ‘chapters' and their numbers are reportedly rising quickly.
The ACLU in southern states such as Arizona , New Mexico and Texas monitor and observe the various Minutemen groups. The ACLU considers their activities to be inspired by racism. |
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" When our ancestors forged a land "conceived in liberty", they did so with musket and rifle. When they reacted to attempts to dissolve their free institutions, and established their identity as a free nation, they did so as a nation of armed freemen. When they sought to record forever a guarantee of their rights, they devoted one full amendment out of ten to nothing but the protection of their right to keep and bear arms against governmental interference."
Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman Subcommittee on the Constitution January 20, 1982
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In 2005, several bills were proposed to deal with the problem of illegal immigration.
The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act (2005)
Senators McCain (Arizona, Republican) and Kennedy (Massachusetts, Democrat) proposed giving renewable three-year working visas to 400,000 people every year, if they could show they had a job waiting in the USA and could pass background and medical checks. When the visa expired, people would then be able to apply for citizenship.
Guest Worker Proposal (2005)
President Bush proposed a temporary guest worker programme. Immigrants would be eligible to work in the United States for six years, but then would have to return to their home countries for one year. There would be no special citizenship deals offered to those with illegal status in the USA . The guest worker policy recognises that many illegal immigrants hold jobs that Americans won't do, especially jobs in agriculture and housekeeping.
Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act (2005)
Guest worker legislation proposed by Republican Senators Kyl of Arizona and Cornyn of Texas is stricter. They also propose to offer two three-year visas, but the guest workers would have to return home for one year between each three year working period. The intention was to prevent them establishing any roots in the USA . This act also includes a controversial plan to give state and local police the authority to enforce federal immigration laws and would expand their authority to remove new arrivals.
President Bush has faced significant opposition to his Guest Worker proposal within his own party in the House. Initially, more than a third of Republican Representatives were against any form of guest worker legislation. However, in November 2005, in the contest for governor of Virginia , Republican candidate Jerry Kilgore lost to Democrat Tim Kaine. Kilgore had run an anti-immigrant campaign, calling illegal immigration a public safety emergency. Kilgore's hard line stance on immigration not only failed to deliver a victory for him, but may have turned some voters against him. Groups such as the National Council for La Raza point out that Hispanics are the fastest growing voter group in the country and that any anti-immigrant stance may alienate them. Hispanics are also becoming more organised politically. On May 1 st 2006, more than one million protestors took to the streets in over 50 cities across the USA to protest against proposals to toughen existing immigration laws. The idea was that immigrants would be able to highlight their contribution to the USA by staying away from work or school. With this growing political influence, those politicians who normally speak out against illegal immigration may have to be more careful not to lose the support of this increasingly important section of the electorate
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Government security agencies have increased and improved the effectiveness of border patrols designed to prevent illegal activity at the southern border. The Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff, has introduced new methods to ** police the southern border. These include remotely flown aircraft which monitor the border area and a huge increase in the number of border control agents, especially in states like Arizona and Texas where most illegal land crossings into the USA take place.
In November 2005, the House of Representatives approved the Sensenbrenner-King Bill (The Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005) . Sponsored by Republican Representatives for Wisconsin and New York , the bill would expand detention facilities and border controls and would impose restrictions on employers seeking to employ illegal immigrants. The House also approved funds for the construction of a 700 mile fence along the border with Mexico .
The Mexican President, Vicente Fox, described the fence proposal as "shameful". It is expected that the Senate will not approve the bill but will look at a broader set of proposals.
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Democrats traditionally take a liberal stance on immigration, believing that it contributes to the cultural diversity of the USA . There is, however, some concern about jobs being taken from low-paid American workers and concern about the exploitation of immigrant workers.
Amongst Republicans, the immigration issue has polarised opinion between cultural conservatives, who wish to limit immigration, and pro-business Republicans, who see immigration as a source of cheap labour. The divisions within his own party make President Bush's job difficult.
The defeat of Jerry Kilgore in November 2005 suggests that adopting an anti- immigrant stance in an election to court popular opinion might well backfire.
On the other hand, the passage of the Sensenbrenner-King Bill shows that many Representatives in the House are still taking a hard line on immigration. Jim Kolbe, a Republican Representative for Arizona , believed that, in an election year, many voted for Sensenbrenner-King because they didn't want to be seen to favour immigration. |
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