Illegal Immigration

Christopher Hulse

Rot B, AP Gov

11/14/10

Illegal Immigration Conflict Contrasting Platforms

America has always been a nation of immigrants, and throughout our years we have welcomed immigrants to our country with open arms, with a certain exception.   Laws were put in place creating a process in which immigrants had to follow to become a legal, U.S citizen.  But many immigrants, especially from Mexico, have pushed these laws aside, and have been sneaking across the border and cheating the legalization process.  “Estimates put the number of illegal immigrants at 12 million nationwide and 500,000 in Arizona.”  (Hansen)  Due to these numbers, Arizona has taken a stand and passed SB1070, a law that cracks down on illegals, giving them a stronger possibility of being deported.  This law has caused sparks to fly between the Democrats and Republicans, who of course, take very different stances on the issue.

“The Republican Party is for stricter laws on immigration, including increased sanctions for illegal entry and knowingly hiring an illegal alien, as well as enhanced border security and the exclusion of amnesty to any illegal non-citizen.” (Gharekhanian)  There are quite a few reasons for this.  For one, many illegals that live in our country prove to only strain the system or take advantage of our society.  For example, if an illegal is sick and goes to the hospital, they can’t be turned away, thus reaping the benefits of our tax dollars through free medical help.  If a child enrolls in school, they do not have to prove they are citizens, thus getting a free education at the expense of others.  Most illegals work here without paying income taxes so they are not contributing to the tax base. 

Democrats believe that amnesty should be given to the illegals in our country yet Republicans feel that this is ridiculous, and illegals should be sent back to their home country.  The liberal position is that we are a nation that should welcome all people and should not turn people away if they want to live here.  They would like to secure our borders, but want an agreement from Republicans on what to do with those illegals that are already here.  The Republican belief can be seen this way: If a man has been shot in the arm and goes to the doctor, before the doctor can repair the problem, he has to stop the bleeding.  This relates to our immigration problem.  We cannot hope to fix the problem entirely until we stop the flow of illegals. 

Arizona residents were fed up with the problems facing the economy and the strain on the state government because of these illegals.  The state took action and decided to be proactive about it.  They placed SB1070 into effect which essentially required all immigrants to have their papers on them at all times.  Democrats look at this and see it as “racially profiling”, but whatever opinion is held on this, it’s hard to argue with the numbers.  “A new report based on U.S. Census data estimates that 100,000 Latinos have left Arizona since the beginning of the year.”  (McCombs)  For this reason, Arizona argues that clearly the law works, and hopes that other states follow in their steps.  Although they have faced ridicule and have lost some business, they argue the lower number of illegals is step in the right direction.  The population must agree because in this last election candidates that supported SB1070 won in large percentages. 

What’s the opposing scenario look like.  California, a state with no laws on illegal immigration, is in a budget crisis.  This may be due to a multitude of things, but considering “in California alone it is estimated to have 3 million illegal immigrants” (usimmigrationsupport.org), it’s quite possible that this is a major source of the problem.  The new California Governor has committed to accepting everyone as citizens.  It remains to be seen how they provide medical help, education, jobs, etc with a shrinking tax base and a growing population.

               Though the Democrats and Republicans hold different views on the problem of illegal immigration, a proactive stance appears to be the best position for the U.S.  I believe that if America truly wishes to take care of this issue, both parties need to look at the facts, and proceed with a plan that is Constitutional and best for our nation.  I believe America can be a destination for any immigrant, but a legal path has to be required.

Bibliography

1.     Hanson, Ronald. "Report: Number of illegal migrants in Ariz., US plummets." AZ Central. N.p., 31 July 2008. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2008/07/31/20080731immigration0731.html

2.     Gharekhanian, Garni. "Immigration: Republican and Democratic party positions ." Helium. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.helium.com/items/813587-immigration-republican-and-democratic-party-positions>.

3.     McCombs, Brady. "Border Boletín: Have 100,000 Latinos left AZ because of SB1070?." Arizona Daily Star. N.p., 12 November 2010. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://azstarnet.com/news/local/border/article_b3e4298a-ee98-11df-a655-001cc4c03286.html>.

4.     "Illegal Immigration in California." US Immigration Support. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/california-immigration.html>.