Issue Of The Week XIII: Immigration Reform

The estimation that there are more than twelve million illegal immigrants in the United States both working and residing, is very disturbing but not shocking. Coming from a Christian point of view I must admit that this earth is not any one persons to take or benefit most from. Ultimately God will decide when the resources will run out but it is our duty to respectfully take care of the world he has given us. On the other hand, there is a sense of entitlement that I must acknowledge. As an American I understand that there are more opportunities in the land of the free than say the opportunities in Mexico. With that said, I do think that from a political standpoint people that are not original residents of the United States should know their place. Meaning, if they decide they would like to become part of the American dream they should do it the right way and gain citizenship. As for the immigrants that are already residing in the United State illegally, I say just let them stay if they agree to pay some kind of fine and possibly commit to service for the betterment of our country. Again, nobody myself included, American or illegal immigrant, has the God given answer to this situation. All we can do is try and mediate a solution that will resolve America of future endeavors with this issue.

I think it would be pretty reasonable to grant illegal immigrants amnesty as long as they go through naturalization and pay some assessed penalty. It would be easier and most likely cheaper than trying to track down and remove all 12 million of them. The government might actually gain some money back with the the immigrants paying assessed penalties.Instead of taking an offensive position against the immigrants in the way Arizona has, we should just take a defensive position and protect the border from the drug cartels that have proven themselves as the real threat.Definitely a reasonable way to deal with the immigrants that are already here.

Definitely coming from a Christian perspective, it's not our decision to make nor should be placed upon us but taking that perspective out, I think they should be allowed amnesty, but with anything has their pros and cons. It all depends on the individual, how long have they been living illegally, what would be the minimum penalty, is it worth coming clean, what is the solution for the immigrants, or when will they be considered a citizen when they confess? How would it benefit the American citizens who are blue collar workers and now have 5 million more legalized immigrants who will take jobs for a lesser wage than minimum? Instead of trying to stop letting immigrants in as a whole, we should position ourselves for building a tighter requirement in forms of entrance and create a safer way for immigrants to be allowed in the United States so it wouldn't be seen as an escapee trying to find refuge. Everyone wants a chance and just because someone is not born a US citizen doesn't mean they shouldn't have the opportunity to be allowed better for themselves. Even though the requirements to be allowed citizenship is becoming nearly impossible, the rules need to restructured around building and creating a new like they intended to do when they came.

There many thing to consider with the notion of immigration reform. What do we change? What do we do with the illegal immigrants that are already here? Do we send them back or give them amnesty? In my opinion I think that all illegal immigrants that have secured a job before the reformation of the laws takes place should be granted amnesty, because they have struggled so far and so hard to get here. They should be given an incentive to come clean that they have to go through the naturalization process and get their green cards and not have the fear of being sent back. However if there are those who are living here and have not secured a job before the reformation, I think they should be deported. I'm not saying they have any less right to be here than the others, but a simple fact that there should be some form of weeding out a number of illegal immigrants to try and maintain the employment rate and try and reduce possible over population.
The laws should be reformed in order to not only make it "easier" but safer for immigrants to get into America. Thousands of people die each year trying to get into the US by unconventional means, whether being shoved in a car trunk, crossing a desert, swimming the ocean. It should not be necessary for so many people to go to such extremes in order to try and make a better life for themselves. As a global super power the US should help take change these situations.

In my opinion what we should do is let all the immigrants that’s already here and have already worked hard for everything they have earned stay .I feel that this problem should have been gotten solved , and my opinion it is too late to try to fix it. There are so many new ways to sneak immigrants and this country that we will never find who immigrants are and who are not, and if we just go by there looks that will just cause more problems and that will go back to the big issue and today’s world called racism . The immigration test is probably to hard for most immigrant’s because of their none English speaking and yes , that is there problem and issue that they will have to worry about , but as I recall America is the place where people and immigrants come to be free and also to follow their dreams , so this us we the people trying to stop immigrants from working and other things like that to ,e is just non-sense.

This topic is very sensitive and difficult to find the right things to do with out being unreasonable to large population of people. I feel the many people already working in this country should be provided amnesty. I also think if the immigration process was not so unreasonable and extensive process we would have this problem with illegal aliens. I have a family member it took her ten years to get her husband into this country legaly and I feel that is a bit rediculous. It has almost forced people to try to go under the radar. There are also many foriegners who actually do not wish to even stay in America, but because they are illegal there only option is to stay because there chances of returning is very slim. Coming to America is like the forbiden fruit or the green grass on the othr side. For many people when they actually get here they prefer there homeland. Making America so exclusive may be some of the reason for flooding of so many immagrants.

According to the laws and regulations that are active the Congress has passed laws that secure the borders, but we need to also think about the illegal immigrants that are already residing in this country. Not only has the Congress put forth the efforts to help this concern but also the National Guard has been overlooking the borders to stop any immigrants trespassing into the United States, which I’m sure has helped. The current policies that we have now should be thought threw and edited, we need to focus on bettering our country, and ways to help immigrants who are seeking a better life. We must take into consideration their job skills they have to offer as well as their family. We want to help better the lives of immigrant wanting to come to America for better opportunity as well as finding what is best for our country as a whole.
Americans tax money would be put to use for other things rather than to help those who are not willing to better themselves or the life style they choose. Under certain situations the US may reject visas or admission on either a temporary or a stable basis due to any prior records. Examples for such efforts would be “denied admission on the grounds of health, any criminal history, security or terrorism concerns, the likelihood of their becoming “a public charge”, their seeking work in the U.S. without proper labor certification and qualifications, prior illegal entry or violations of immigration law, lack of proper documentation, or previous removal from the country.” This will create job opportunity and provide more money into our economy and not to those of other countries who may be benefiting from their citizens by living here.

Im not one to generalize, but I would say the vast majority of undocumented immigrants pose no serious threat to national security, however we must keep in mind the reason we have the immigration process. Security of our nation's boarders is vital in preventing criminal threats as well as ecological and biological threats to the American people. Although allowing the undocumented immigrants amnesty for coming forward has all the appearance of being a good compromise, it sets a dangerous precedence. It is irresponsible, lackadaisical, and unfair. Immense reform of the immigration process, laws, and treatment of immigrants are what is needed for long term repair of this issue. Additionally harsh punishment should be instituted for high level industrio-corporate and corporate agricultural management that lure and employ undocumented immigrants en mass. These corporations are often the root cause of concentrated pockets of undocumented immigration, but rarely suffer the consequences of the detrimental effects they have upon the American and undocumented worker's quality of life.

I think that the immagrants who are here in America and are living and working should not be penalized;just because they were not born here and they decided to migrate to America. I do believe that taxes should be collected from them, because if they live here and are working here they should be just like the average American who pays taxes.

I have yet to hear a convincing case on why illegal immigration is a hindrance on the United States. Lost taxes? American citizens don’t always pay taxes or the correct amounts. Lost jobs? Manual labor, low pay jobs are typically the most stable and abundant, if an American citizen can’t compete for a minimum wage job how can they compete with a legalized alien that has skills and education? Low wages hurts the national economy? Low wages paid to illegal aliens keeps consumer prices down and increases profits to American companies (not outsourced!) Crime? American citizens are not immune to committing crimes yet have many, many more legal rights than illegal aliens. Lack of institutional control? Don’t we already have enough bureaucratic insolence spending tax dollars ‘trying’ to exert control on the borders? Why not use this spending to support a more noble cause with clear dividends… cancer research? Cultural control? There is no defined culture in the United States.

Let’s face it, illegal aliens are an integral part of Americana and restricting access to legalization based on national origin is called discrimination. Illegal alien is the dirty word that every American citizen takes advantage of but refutes its justification. American citizenship is a privilege and it has many advantages, let’s protect that. If an illegal immigrant seeks citizenship, enforce due process. If an illegal immigrant wants to be exploited to have a better life, let them. In my experience, capitalism is the American way.

I agree with many of the points raised above. Illegal immigrants do not pose a major national security threat but at the same time, the immigration system is there for a reason. I believe that those found guilty of being an illegal immigrant in the United States should be penalized because if we turn a blind eye to this issue it will only get worse. I think that the most fair way of doing this is just to send the illegal immigrants back where they came from. Some people say that it isn't a big deal that they aren't paying taxes. Again, if you allow an issue to persist, it will only get worse.

ACU-7 said that the U.S. often denies admission to immigrants. If I were starving and desperate and not allowed in, I would probably do it illegally too. "Give me your tired, your poor,your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." That is what it says on the Statue of Liberty, but that is not how it really works.

People complain about illegal immigrants all the time and how they steal our jobs. Who says they are ours? And the jobs that most of these immigrants have are low paying menial labor that nobody wants anyways. Besides, I doubt they are complaining about the low prices on goods that were made by immigrants that we barely pay. You can't have it both ways.

Anyways, the problem is that people do not know what to do with illegal immigrants that are already here. I say give them amnesty and citizenship. Our ancestors did not exactly immigrate legally, they killed Native Americans and stole their land. Parts of the southern U.S. belonged to Mexico originally anyways, and the U.S. went to war to take it. What right do we have to keep anyone out?

ACU-7 said that the U.S. often denies admission to immigrants. If I were starving and desperate and not allowed in, I would probably do it illegally too. "Give me your tired, your poor,your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." That is what it says on the Statue of Liberty, but that is not how it really works.

People complain about illegal immigrants all the time and how they steal our jobs. Who says they are ours? And the jobs that most of these immigrants have are low paying menial labor that nobody wants anyways. Besides, I doubt they are complaining about the low prices on goods that were made by immigrants that we barely pay. You can't have it both ways.

Anyways, the problem is that people do not know what to do with illegal immigrants that are already here. I say give them amnesty and citizenship. Our ancestors did not exactly immigrate legally, they killed Native Americans and stole their land. Parts of the southern U.S. belonged to Mexico originally anyways, and the U.S. went to war to take it. What right do we have to keep anyone out?

ACU-7 said that the U.S. often denies admission to immigrants. If I were starving and desperate and not allowed in, I would probably do it illegally too. "Give me your tired, your poor,your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." That is what it says on the Statue of Liberty, but that is not how it really works.

People complain about illegal immigrants all the time and how they steal our jobs. Who says they are ours? And the jobs that most of these immigrants have are low paying menial labor that nobody wants anyways. Besides, I doubt they are complaining about the low prices on goods that were made by immigrants that we barely pay. You can't have it both ways.

Anyways, the problem is that people do not know what to do with illegal immigrants that are already here. I say give them amnesty and citizenship. Our ancestors did not exactly immigrate legally, they killed Native Americans and stole their land. Parts of the southern U.S. belonged to Mexico originally anyways, and the U.S. went to war to take it. What right do we have to keep anyone out?

America is one of the many blessed nations in this world. People living in developing countries know this. It is the prosperity of America that leads them to cross over illegally. Most of them are not eligible to enter the country legally. For the people though it is s a decision between suffering or a chance at a better life. Most illegal immigrants were hoping for a better life when they entered the American borders, but because they came here illegally they aren’t entitled to the benefits a normal citizen would be. So what do we do? Well I know its easier said then done and that I have no way of giving the correct answer to the problem but I believe that if we are able to produce one of the greatest nations on earth can we not help those who seek aid our aid in our OWN country? Has the meaning of a person’s life degraded in us? Illegal immigrants suffer on our soils. It seems pretty pathetic for a powerful nation not to be able to help the people in their own country. I believe in a God that takes care of his children and that everything comes from Him. we have no right to hold it for ourselves be it land, money, food, etc… I am aware that not everyone sees my opinion regarding God but religion or no religion, I think that the first step to solving the problem “what do we do with them” is by wanting to HELP them. How? I honestly haven’t got a clue but ignoring them won’t do any good for the country or them.

As far as the entire immigration issue is concerned, I am undecided of what the procedures should be. One thing that I do know however is that the jobs that illegal immigrates usually obtain are not high paying professions. The majority of illegal immigrates in this country live on very little, usually making enough money to live each day, but not enough to save. If we decided that all the illegals who paid a fee or made up their missed taxes could stay, then we would be sending the majority of illegals back only allowing a small fraction to stay in the US. Whether or not these people should be able to stay in our country is an issue that contains too many unknown factors, leaving me undecided on the issue. One thing that I do know is that if the government decided to make these people pay a fine, I believe the majority would not be able to pay it. We would essentially be making it impossible for these people to stay. If that is the case, would it not be easier just to crack down on the situation as a whole and not allow them into our country the first place? I do not know the best way to go about this situation, but we must be realistic when deciding on a solution. If we want to make it possible for these people to stay, we must not set a price that they cannot meet.

i like that idea! if you are willing to come forth, declare that you are not legally a citizen of this country, pay the dues owed, and therefore become an American; you should be allowed to stay and live in America. But the idea that there are people in our country occupying jobs and gaining benefits from the government that come with being a legal citizen when they do not have the right to work and be paid in America is upsetting to me. those are positions and jobs that could be filled by people who have taken the necessary steps to becoming legal and are rightfully American! i do like the idea of granting citizenship to those who willingly come forth and do what is asked of them! i think its a good compromise!

The twelve million illegal immigrants living in the United States is a startling number. However, I don't really think much can be done about the illegal immigrants that are already here. As a comment before said, it would probably cost more to remove all the illegal immigrants from the US than it would be to just let the ones that are here stay. Sure, offering a path to citizenship to those who come forward is a good idea, but how many illegal immigrants would actually come forward? I would say the vast majority wouldn't turn themselves in. Why turn yourself in when you have a perfectly good life in the US earning a salary and not paying taxes? Immigration into America is a part of life, whether legal or illegal. I believe steps should be taken to decrease the amount of illegal immigrants entering our country, but I don't think there is a single fullproof solution to removing the ones already living in the United States.

When I saw the statistic that it is estimated that there are more than twelve million illegal immigrants that are living and working in the United States today I was somewhat shocked. Part of me wants to be angry that these illegal immigrants have come into our country and occupied the jobs that native born Americans are trying to find every day. The other side of me sees these immigrants as people just like everyone else. Addressing the question that was asked at the bottom of the article, speaking from experience in having some native Mexican workers that worked for our family for a number of years I believe that immigrants that are already here in the United States working should be allowed to voluntarily come and complete the immigration process so they are fully legal. I do not feel that a penalty should be assessed to these immigrants that come forth though because they have been working and have now voluntarily come forth to try to be fully legal immigrants of this country. They should not be punished for the work they have done, but should be granted legal rights for the work and for coming in on their own will. I do not; however, feel that illegal immigrants that do not come in voluntarily and are discovered to be illegal should be able to enjoy the benefit of having the opportunity of becoming a legal United States citizen like the immigrants that come in voluntarily.

I wish dearly that the world were free and democracy was not a foreign subject to anyone, but as it stands only a few have access to freedom. This is a sad and terrible fact. What’s even worse is that there is nothing we can do about it. Immigrants, who have come here in hope of freedom and the American dream, have built their lives here and established families. This means that some of the members of the family are citizens of the United States by birth, while the elders in the family remain illegal. Legally we are bound to remove these illegal aliens from the United States. An ironic situation considering almost every American except for Native Americans came to this land from another country. Those literally kicked out of the United States will face being alone without their family and probably have little to no possessions. There is no question in my mind that it is morally wrong to do this, but what are the consequences of letting them stay. To offer amnesty to these illegal immigrants would offer hope to all immigrants who may come here illegally, thus possibly increasing the number of illegal immigrants. It is thoroughly predictable that when the population of an area increases to outgrow the sustainable area in which they live, the government would be forced to tighten its control and limit freedom. This among other consequences would occur should illegal immigrants be given amnesty. The question is, are the consequences to great in this case to follow the moral path? We have a moral obligation to those legal American citizens as well.

I personally like this idea because I believe that it could help make a dent in the amount of illegal immigrants that we do have in this country. If the illegal immigrant is willing to come forth on his or her own will and pay the penalty then I don't see why we wouldn't accept it. With an estimated twelve million illegal immigrants I believe that we would be wasting time and money trying to get every single one of them out of this country. I am worried however that this might encourage more illegal immigrants into the country. This reform may not be perfect but I do believe that this would be a step in the right direction for the immigrants that are already illegally here.

There are two sides to the story and I can understand both of them, although I have to agree that if I were in the same situation as an immigrant, I would try to come to the United States to make a better life for myself as well. While there are some immigrants who do come to the United States and don't work to have a better life, most of them do and are here because they had no means of making it in their home country. There's no sense in the American government sending illegal immigrants back to their countries. It won't solve any problems because they’ll find a way to get back in. Besides that, how will the rest of the world view us as a country? I do however believe that it's our government's responsibility to create jobs that the immigrants are capable of performing. That way no one has to worry that their tax dollars are going to pay for illegal aliens who don't contribute to society here.

Let us look at the primary purpose of the United States Government: To support and defend the interests of its citizens. Having said that, we cannot truly entertain the thought of deporting all immigrants who live in this country illegally (and by extension, support its economy). Although it is not feasible to deport all current illegal immigrants, I do believe it is necessary to make steps toward naturalizing those who already live here, while simultaneously controlling the entrance of new immigrants into the continental United States. We must strive to stabilize the situation by 'bringing into the fold' all those who are currently illegal, while also reforming and strengthening our immigration strategies to solidify our strength as a nation. I do not believe we should impose a penalty on newly naturalized immigrants, but rather treat them as all other citizens by collecting standard taxes. This will only function as a strengthening agent if the naturalization occurs in conjunction with a vast reduction of the influx.

Knowing that there are a large number of immigrants in the US should be a shocking number, there are many of immigrants that are crossing the border as we speak, it’s nothing new. Why is the government trying to keep immigrants out when these are the ones that are filling up the jobs that no American would take, when they are only trying to come here for a better life? These immigrants aren’t harming anyone, they aren’t trying to take of the US, nor are they here to “take others jobs.” American’s who want to stop immigration need to see the bigger picture and stop being selfish of what’s not even theirs (referring to the USA). They are here for a better life for them and their families, if I were in a country that I wasn’t able to find and job and my family was suffering, without a doubt I will do exactly what these immigrants are doing. I don’t think that immigrants should be penalized for what they did; they are already here what is the big deal. Obviously what others call immigrants as low skilled and uneducated just disappoints me to even hear, they aren’t low skilled nor uneducated if they can out do the federal agents that are at the boarder trying to stop them.

Illegal immigration is a huge problem the US is currently facing. Just the other day I was watching the news as they were filming people at the Mexico border that were climbing over and under the fence at night. However, I don't blame any of them. The US is clearly a highly desired place to reside, but does that make it okay? The more immigrants that come in the closer we will be to over population and too few jobs. Creating more jobs will not necessarily fix the problem, but throw off the economic balance. The government created jobs so that the US could bounce back after the economic crisis. But the continuation of creating jobs will later cause inflation and many other problems. Although it seems like the right thing to do, accepting illegal immigrants will not make the country any better off. People should take the time to legalize there move and show the willingness to become a citizen. To live here a person be expected to give back to the country.

Many of the people that have illegally immigrated from Mexico are very hard workers, and are only seeking to help those back home live a better life. I do not believe that these people are bad people, but they have broken the laws in place in our country. Disregarding and ignorance to laws leads to a dysfunctional society, one that has no order, and is instilled with chaos. A lawbreaker is usually dealt with on an individual basis. Many years ago in the Ellis Island years, someone who might try to sneak into the United States, would be dealt with in a much different way than today. These people that have immigrated from Mexico, are in such large numbers now that they cannot be dealt with on an individual basis. The very minimum of what should be done is to make these people contribute to the government that supports them. They are not entitled to free healthcare, education, and other government supported programs. They must pay taxes like legal citizens here. Other than that there is nothing that can be realistically done because of their large numbers.