Friday, October 4, 2013

House Dems offer immigration bill, fate uncertain

1. House Dems offer immigration bill, fate uncertain. (2013 October 2) Boston Herald.

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/us_politics/2013/10/house_dems_offer_immigration_bill_fate_uncertain

2. Category of problem: Immigration

3. Level of problem: National level

4. The article concerns: A number of potential policy changes offered by House Democrats concerning immigration legislation, including fortified border control, a revised legal immigration system, and an opportunity for currently residing undocumented migrants to gain citizenship.

5. Why this is important: If the bill is passed, illegal immigration may decrease, due to increased border control and a simplified path to citizenship; this will in turn result in a decrease of immigrant labor availability and exploitation. Additionally, if citizenship is an opportunity for undocumented migrants already residing in the US, the frequency of deportation may decrease.

6. My views on this issue/policy: I believe comprehensive immigration reform is necessary and long overdue.

Deportation is an expensive practice which is serving to hurt families and encourage illegal behavior. It has created a social division in which documented and undocumented migrants do not feel like they are apart of American society, despite the fact that they're residing in America. Individuals who feel disenfranchised by society will understandably not feel compelled to respect the laws of the societies in which they reside, thus creating a dangerous and deviant culture. The establishment of these types of cultures negatively affects all members of society, particularly the disenfranchised members in question.

Equally important is the issue of immigrant labor exploitation. Labor exploitation not only encourages poverty among undocumented migrants (further bolstering a deviant culture) but also serves to drive down wages for all Americans. In order for a legally operating business to compete with a business utilizing cheap immigrant labor, they must lower their own worker's wages to near or at minimum wage.

Immigration reform will aim to decrease the number of immigrants entering the US illegally, or residing in the US without documented citizenship, and should also significantly decrease the happenstance of deportation, thus encouraging successful migrant integration and ethical business practices.

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