Illegal Immigration Issue
The Illegal Immigration Issue in the United States
Introduction
Increasing illegal immigration is a considerable problem in the United States. Both preventive and interventive strategies have been applied to the problem in the past, including reducing the number and types of visas granted and returning illegal aliens to their home countries once discovered. Though efforts have been made, the number of illegal aliens in this country continues to grow.
Claim
The number of illegal immigrants in the United States continues to grow. In 2013, Koslowski maintained that illegal immigrants in this country made up between 1/4 and 1/3 of the total migrant population of 38 million in this country (4). About 60 percent of unauthorized immigrants …show more content…
One strategy that has been proposed in existing research is to address the problem on a state-by-state level, preventing access to social services for undocumented populations and increasing the response within criminal justice agencies in addressing the population that has entered the country legally and overstayed their visas. Another strategy is to provide opportunities for undocumented populations to become documented populations before implementing tighter controls (Passel and Cohn 4). The third strategy is to implement greater control over the most significant border influencing immigration: the southwestern border with Mexico. Each of these options contributes to the discourse on the issue of illegal immigration and the implications, but creating an effective strategy may require a combined approach. A major issue is that not everyone sees illegal immigration as an issue. In a 2013 Pew Center study, Lopez and Gonzalez-Barrera reported that positive views of unauthorized immigration in the U.S. Hispanic community have grown, with a large number of existing Hispanic Americans seeing unauthorized immigration as a contributory factor to the improved national orientation in support of Hispanic Americans as a whole. Growth in the Hispanic population, whether resulting from legal or illegal immigration, has led to improved responsiveness to the needs of this …show more content…
Illegal immigrant populations are more likely to live in poverty, to experience social marginalization, and to lack education need to contribute actively to society (Jensen and Dost-Gozkan 4). As a result, there is a need for a response to this issue that addresses the entrance points for illegal immigrants. This may include interventions that address the presence of illegal immigrants who have overstayed their visas and immigrants who enter the country without ever intending on leaving. More completely, though, any new immigration policies should reflect the need to add protection and security to the most vulnerable border area in this country, the more than 2000 miles of southern border without the structure or manpower to adequately address the problem.
Introduction
Increasing illegal immigration is a considerable problem in the United States. Both preventive and interventive strategies have been applied to the problem in the past, including reducing the number and types of visas granted and returning illegal aliens to their home countries once discovered. Though efforts have been made, the number of illegal aliens in this country continues to grow.
Claim
The number of illegal immigrants in the United States continues to grow. In 2013, Koslowski maintained that illegal immigrants in this country made up between 1/4 and 1/3 of the total migrant population of 38 million in this country (4). About 60 percent of unauthorized immigrants …show more content…
One strategy that has been proposed in existing research is to address the problem on a state-by-state level, preventing access to social services for undocumented populations and increasing the response within criminal justice agencies in addressing the population that has entered the country legally and overstayed their visas. Another strategy is to provide opportunities for undocumented populations to become documented populations before implementing tighter controls (Passel and Cohn 4). The third strategy is to implement greater control over the most significant border influencing immigration: the southwestern border with Mexico. Each of these options contributes to the discourse on the issue of illegal immigration and the implications, but creating an effective strategy may require a combined approach. A major issue is that not everyone sees illegal immigration as an issue. In a 2013 Pew Center study, Lopez and Gonzalez-Barrera reported that positive views of unauthorized immigration in the U.S. Hispanic community have grown, with a large number of existing Hispanic Americans seeing unauthorized immigration as a contributory factor to the improved national orientation in support of Hispanic Americans as a whole. Growth in the Hispanic population, whether resulting from legal or illegal immigration, has led to improved responsiveness to the needs of this …show more content…
Illegal immigrant populations are more likely to live in poverty, to experience social marginalization, and to lack education need to contribute actively to society (Jensen and Dost-Gozkan 4). As a result, there is a need for a response to this issue that addresses the entrance points for illegal immigrants. This may include interventions that address the presence of illegal immigrants who have overstayed their visas and immigrants who enter the country without ever intending on leaving. More completely, though, any new immigration policies should reflect the need to add protection and security to the most vulnerable border area in this country, the more than 2000 miles of southern border without the structure or manpower to adequately address the problem.