US Critical Issue: Immigration
United States of America is an immigrant society from the early days of its foundation from 15th Century by the immigration of groups of merchants from Europe. United States is called “Nation of Immigrants” or “State of Nation”. Every American today is either an immigrants himself or is a descendant of immigrants once brought to US from different places around the world. Immigrants are people who are legally admitted to the United States for resistance and are eligible for citizenship. According to 2001 census, 58 million people in US claim German ancestors, 33 million English, 24 million Africans, 18 million Mexican, 1.5 Chinese, 1 million Japanese and more interestingly 39 million people in US are from Irish ancestors while the population of Republic of Ireland is no more than 4 million people. There are lots of others with backgrounds in Italy, Greece, Poland, Russian and Sweden. It is also very interesting to know that there are 17 million people speaking Spanish.
Two main reasons in most cases force people to migrate to US; one is to escape from the persecution of their home country like what happened to Cuban exiles and the second reason is achieving the American dream of improving economic condition. They come to US to have a better economic life. During 1820 to 1898, 64.4 million immigrants entered US that had the same reasons. It is necessary to say that Asian, Mexican and Central American immigrants usually settle in established co-ethnic settlements rather than other immigrants such as Canadians and other migrant groups who disperse around the United States. Although US is called to be an “immigrant society” but the concept of immigration has never been a happy story in the history of United States. Irish and German Immigrants in 19th century were viewed as suspicious by White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. In late 19th century, there was a flow of Chinese and Japanese that worried Americans enormously thus in 1917 immigration from Asia was forbidden. Moreover, even the immigration of Eastern and Southern Europeans was opposed and congress put restrictions on it in 1920.
By March 2004, The US had 34 million immigrants which constitute 12% of its population that is the highest percentage in the last 80 years. Among the immigrants in US, Hispanics are the most growing and most controversial. In the whole Hispanic population, Mexicans have the highest population with 60% and after that Puerto Ricans are the next with 11% of immigrants in Hispanic population. So when we talk of Hispanics we mean Mexicans. Besides is the issue of illegal immigration. Due to US immigration policies, legal immigration is decreasing but the number of undocumented immigration is an issue. Between 2000-2004, 46% of all immigrants to US were illegal. 57% of these immigrants came from Mexico with 85% of those illegal although there is a 3000 mile fence between Mexico and United States.
Above there are controversies if immigration in US should exist or government should restrict immigration. There are three discussions regarding this topic; Environmental debate, Economic debate and Cultural debate. In the environmentalist debate there is a theory saying that there is a relation between population growth and environment degradation and industrialization destroys ecosystem thus government should restrict immigration. They believe immigration increases consumption and reduces resources of soil, water and oil. On the other hand, there are Pro immigrants who believe this is a racist belief to control immigration because most immigrants are colored and United States is not overpopulated yet and US population density in 1998 was 73.5 person per Square mile. The most important claim of them is that immigration impact on environment is inconclusive and immigration increases the base of technical knowledge.
Economic debate is also very crucial as it is very complex. It is categorized in three subcategories as tax, job and wage. The heart of the matter is job opportunities that immigrants grab from native born Americans. Restrictionists believe unskilled immigrants are employed for low paid jobs and there will be a competition between immigrants and American workers, thus wages reduces and poor get poorer. Immigrants are unskilled and are living on welfare and native born should pay taxes instead of them. As a result, tax increase drives down the standards of living. The other problem that restrictionists stress upon is that some of these immigrants occupy high level positions. On the contrary are proponents that reject other opinions by saying that immigrants do what American themselves are not willing and for some high racks there is no professional among Americans that is why we see some immigrants in high levels. Low paid immigrants helps big US industries survive. Immigrants are in working age so they contribute more to tax paying. Moreover, they are rejuvenating force for cities, they pay taxes, spend money, provide labor and run business, and as a result they serve US society.
Many believe that cultural debate is the most vital debate regarding immigration to US. The key concept in this debate is the idea of assimilation. Recent immigrants are more difficulty assimilated with Americans. Restrictionists think that White Anglo- Saxon Protestants are the only people that are allowed to be American and they can learn and practice American values and ways. They also believe everyone with every kind of race, ethnicity and religion can enter US but should be acculturated. English language can help immigrants’ assimilation easier. Proponents think that there is actually no need for assimilation because new immigrants subscribe to American values and they have no threat for the dominant culture. Immigrants are family oriented and hard working to achieve their goals in US. To conclude this discussion there comes a question whether America as a nation-state has the right to control its people and borders.
Two main reasons in most cases force people to migrate to US; one is to escape from the persecution of their home country like what happened to Cuban exiles and the second reason is achieving the American dream of improving economic condition. They come to US to have a better economic life. During 1820 to 1898, 64.4 million immigrants entered US that had the same reasons. It is necessary to say that Asian, Mexican and Central American immigrants usually settle in established co-ethnic settlements rather than other immigrants such as Canadians and other migrant groups who disperse around the United States. Although US is called to be an “immigrant society” but the concept of immigration has never been a happy story in the history of United States. Irish and German Immigrants in 19th century were viewed as suspicious by White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. In late 19th century, there was a flow of Chinese and Japanese that worried Americans enormously thus in 1917 immigration from Asia was forbidden. Moreover, even the immigration of Eastern and Southern Europeans was opposed and congress put restrictions on it in 1920.
By March 2004, The US had 34 million immigrants which constitute 12% of its population that is the highest percentage in the last 80 years. Among the immigrants in US, Hispanics are the most growing and most controversial. In the whole Hispanic population, Mexicans have the highest population with 60% and after that Puerto Ricans are the next with 11% of immigrants in Hispanic population. So when we talk of Hispanics we mean Mexicans. Besides is the issue of illegal immigration. Due to US immigration policies, legal immigration is decreasing but the number of undocumented immigration is an issue. Between 2000-2004, 46% of all immigrants to US were illegal. 57% of these immigrants came from Mexico with 85% of those illegal although there is a 3000 mile fence between Mexico and United States.
Above there are controversies if immigration in US should exist or government should restrict immigration. There are three discussions regarding this topic; Environmental debate, Economic debate and Cultural debate. In the environmentalist debate there is a theory saying that there is a relation between population growth and environment degradation and industrialization destroys ecosystem thus government should restrict immigration. They believe immigration increases consumption and reduces resources of soil, water and oil. On the other hand, there are Pro immigrants who believe this is a racist belief to control immigration because most immigrants are colored and United States is not overpopulated yet and US population density in 1998 was 73.5 person per Square mile. The most important claim of them is that immigration impact on environment is inconclusive and immigration increases the base of technical knowledge.
Economic debate is also very crucial as it is very complex. It is categorized in three subcategories as tax, job and wage. The heart of the matter is job opportunities that immigrants grab from native born Americans. Restrictionists believe unskilled immigrants are employed for low paid jobs and there will be a competition between immigrants and American workers, thus wages reduces and poor get poorer. Immigrants are unskilled and are living on welfare and native born should pay taxes instead of them. As a result, tax increase drives down the standards of living. The other problem that restrictionists stress upon is that some of these immigrants occupy high level positions. On the contrary are proponents that reject other opinions by saying that immigrants do what American themselves are not willing and for some high racks there is no professional among Americans that is why we see some immigrants in high levels. Low paid immigrants helps big US industries survive. Immigrants are in working age so they contribute more to tax paying. Moreover, they are rejuvenating force for cities, they pay taxes, spend money, provide labor and run business, and as a result they serve US society.
Many believe that cultural debate is the most vital debate regarding immigration to US. The key concept in this debate is the idea of assimilation. Recent immigrants are more difficulty assimilated with Americans. Restrictionists think that White Anglo- Saxon Protestants are the only people that are allowed to be American and they can learn and practice American values and ways. They also believe everyone with every kind of race, ethnicity and religion can enter US but should be acculturated. English language can help immigrants’ assimilation easier. Proponents think that there is actually no need for assimilation because new immigrants subscribe to American values and they have no threat for the dominant culture. Immigrants are family oriented and hard working to achieve their goals in US. To conclude this discussion there comes a question whether America as a nation-state has the right to control its people and borders.
posted by Azadeh Ghahghaei at 6:33 AM
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