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Please pick someone to respond to from our last immigration post. You have until Thursday, March 6th to do this. Normally I'm pretty flexible but this deadline is very firm.
posted by Ms. Aby @ 7:50 PM
AP US Government & Politics
This blog is for students in Ms. Aby-Keirstead's AP US Government class in Bloomington, MN. It is for students to post their thoughts on current events and governmental affairs. Students should be respectful & think of this forum as an extension of their classroom. The instructor has the same expectations for classroom discussion & blog posts. These posts will be graded for both their academic merit & for their appropriateness.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
AP US Government & Politics
This blog is for students in Ms. Aby-Keirstead's AP US Government class in Bloomington, MN. It is for students to post their thoughts on current events and governmental affairs. Students should be respectful & think of this forum as an extension of their classroom. The instructor has the same expectations for classroom discussion & blog posts. These posts will be graded for both their academic merit & for their appropriateness.
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I agree with Elizabeth’s view on the importance of immigration reform and also her prediction that there won’t be any progress made until about 2016. As Elizabeth pointed out, there are many groups pushing for reform so it seems a little silly that it is not a higher priority. Even recently after Boehner said that the House would not work on any legislation on the subject, groups have continued to ask for action. The Chamber of Commerce sponsored a letter to Boehner that was posted on their website and signed by 636 businesses, including Hewlett-Packard and Facebook, advocating that the current system is essentially working against the United States’ best economic interest and that reform is necessary for the economy to grow (1). The Republicans can’t put the issue off forever so there has to be some progress eventually, but since Boehner said it won’t happen until closer to the next election, it won’t happen until he is ready to put it back on the table because he’s kind of a big deal in the House. I also agree that Obama should maybe back off on the subject so that he doesn’t look unproductive and out of control unless somehow someone comes up with a plan that the majority will agree with.
1 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/02/25/u-s-chamber-of-commerce-pushes-house-gop-on-immigration-reform/
In response to Rilyn's post, I completely agree. While I believe that immigration reform should be of top priority to public policy, I don't believe that it's regarded in such a way. As Rilyn said, a Gallup poll from January revealed that less than 50% of Americans view immigration reform as very important, and the average American placed issues regarding the economy, education, and health care above it (1). I had never really thought about it, but Rilyn pointed out the importance of immigration reform from an economic standpoint. A simpler process for allowing immigrants to become citizens should be implemented so that they can find work, make a living, and get an education more quickly, therefore allowing them to benefit the U.S. economy. I had also never thought about the financial burden of our current system, which Rilyn pointed out costs about $2 billion annually (2). Seeing as our government is in deep debt, I completely agree with Rilyn; such expenditures on an inefficient program such as this proves irresponsible and unnecessary. Therefore, while I do think that Congress should put immigration reform higher on their agenda, I don't think that much progress will be made this year. I believe that the Republican party could benefit from creating a reformed immigration plan, as it could potentially bring in more party support from the Hispanic population. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be too keen on taking a firm stance on the issue. In the meantime, 11.7 million unauthorized immigrants are unable to become citizens. I can only hope that the government will decide to take action on immigration reform soon.
1 http://wallstcheatsheet.com/politics/economy/do-americans-even-care-about-immigration-reform.html/
2 http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/why-does-us-need-immigration-reform
I agree with Caroline H in the fact that the majority of Americans do not see Immigration Reform as an important issue. Despite almost 11.7 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, the American people view the economy and getting back to work as much more important issues [1]. I agree that it is important and the the American people may generally be misguided on it however I do not see it as one of the more important issues that this Congress should tackle. The Republicans also need to be careful as many of their solidly Republican states, such as Texas, are becoming more liberal due to the influx of Hispanic-Americans. I see the House Republicans tiptoeing around the issue as to not offend any of them. They can not afford to lose any votes and they want to stay in control of the House and even try and gain back the Senate in the 2016 midterm elections. If they try and tackle immigration reform they face the possibility of losing any Hispanic vote that they have. If they took it on and proposed a solution that Hispanics support it most likely would not echo well with their base in the Midwest. This leads to a very precarious situation for the Republicans. They do not want to look like they are doing nothing but they also can not afford to lose votes. Overall, I imagine the Republicans will not tackle the issue as it is not politically worth it at this time.
[1] 1.http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/us/immigrant-population-shows-signs-of-growth-estimates-show.html?_r=0
I agree with Andrew that illegal immigration has a lot of negative consequences. Illegal immigration is definitely a drain on the economy, and also presses a lot of national security issues too. Obviously then, illegal immigration is a legitimate issue that demands attention. While making it easier for illegal immigrants to gain legal access into America is a popular solution that has some bipartisan support, I disagree with Andrew that an immigration reform bill will be coming out of Congress anytime soon. Boehner has stated that it is going to be “difficult to move any immigration legislation” due to the fact that there is “widespread doubt” that the Obama administration will enforce any potential immigration law (1). Even when Senator Schumer proposed a reasonable alternative, to enact immigration legislation this year that doesn’t go into effect until 2017, Boehner shot down any potential action, calling the idea “entirely impractical”(1). Thus, I don’t believe we’ll be seeing any immigration reform for a while.
1) http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/09/did-schumer-call-boehners-bluff-on-immigration/
In response to Amanda’s post I complete agree with her that immigration is an important policy issue. Like she says, there has been a large number of immigrants who have entered the US in the past few decades, and a large percentage of these immigrants are undocumented. Currently, there are about forty million immigrants in America. This is about a twenty-eight percent increase from ten years ago. About twenty-eight percent of those immigrants are her illegally (1). With so many immigrants currently in our country, action needs to be taken. This large number of immigrants leads to many problems. Economically, these immigrants often end up in poverty under the current system. They don’t have health insurance and are often part of the welfare system (1). This puts a drag on the country’s economy. Something needs to be done about it. However, like Amanda points out, the public seems willing to ignore this issue and do not find it important. There has been upswing in the importance of immigration reform in the past few years, but the number of Americans who find the issue very important has not yet reached a majority. Currently it sits at forty-four percent of Americans according to a Gallup poll (2). Also, like Amanda says, many public officials do not see immigration reform being able to pass both houses of Congress. Each party is very divided and seemingly unwilling to compromise. As Speaker of the House, John Boehner says, both sides are very reluctant to act on the issue (3). At the time being I do not see much happening on immigration reform, but, like Amanda, I see it happening in the near future. She points out that the Republicans are going to have to make a move soon or it could hurt their party. Unless they do something, their party could fall apart. The Republicans could be in for a disaster if they continue to alienate a growing number of constituents (4). Overall, immigration reform needs to be higher on the policy agenda.
(1) http://www.cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population
(2) http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/17/polls-publics-immigration-priorities-changing/
(3) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/03/03/john-boehner-says-the-right-thing-about-immigration/
(4) http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/01/the-gop-wont-pass-immigration-reform-%E2%80%93-and-it-could-prove-disastrous/
I agree with Collin that immigration reform is a serious policy issue. I also agree that it has been overshadowed by other issues currently such as the economic crisis. However, I disagree with his opinion that no reform is likely in the near future. Collin stated that people feel that immigration doesn’t affect them personally so they are likely to ignore it. This is untrue as 35% of Americans feel that our current immigration system needs to be completely rebuilt and 39% feel there need to be major changes (1). Average Americans feel strongly about immigration, mainly because they are concerned immigrants will take their jobs. The need for reform is expressed by Americans because it is easy for companies to exploit illegal immigrants for cheap labor, and such labor will always be more cost effective than American citizens who are entitled to all of the job guarantees by US law (minimum wage etc). For this reason, there will likely be new reform in the near future to combat Americans worries. I also disagree with Collin’s opinion that allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens will increase tax burdens on everybody else. An increase in tax paying citizens will not only increase tax revenue but decrease stress on programs such as social security. Although it would only be a temporary fix, it would give the government more time in which to think of a permanent solution (2). Although I agree that we shouldn’t simply allow every illegal immigrant to become a citizen instantly, I think a process should be set up to allow those brought as small children to become citizens and a longer process for those who came here illegally as adults. I think this because children had no control over if they were brought here or not and even illegal adults can become productive members of society and contribute tax revenue to our government. In conclusion, I think our immigration system requires major changes and we should work to increase the amount of illegal immigrants currently living here who are allowed to become citizens.
1. http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/immigration-tip-sheet-on-u-s-public-opinion/
2. http://www.fairus.org/issue/why-immigration-cant-solve-the-social-security-deficit
In notice of this post, I have chosen to reply to Leroy Bondhus’ post.
I’m going to say this: If the news article that I read was any indication, the schedule on immigration reform is going accelerate. You’re right, not that it should be done as soon as possible, but in that it’s going to be done soon as possible. I just took a look, and a Republican House representative’s represented demographic has had the hispanic population go up by 280% from the year 2000 (1). Mind you, this is a guy whose stance on illegal immigration is very republican; More border security. Mind you, he’s helped quite a few people out with various legal immigration troubles, but that’s still a bloody big change. With more and more immigrants pushing for reform, I think that the reform bill may very well be imminent.
(1)http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/as-hispanic-population-booms-immigration-debate-comes-to-key-republicans-va-district/2014/03/02/07c17a0e-9a7f-11e3-80ac-63a8ba7f7942_story.html
I agree with Sam G. and believe that immigration reform will become more of a focus for both Democrats and Republicans because of the growing importance of Latino votes in elections. Many of the states that contain a large population of Latinos and are generally considered Republican have shown trends of becoming more liberal because of the change in their voting demographic (1). Politicians in these states need to try to appeal to the Latino voters, who generally support immigration reform, or else face a more likely defeat at the voting booth. Because of the pressure on politicians to pass immigration reform, I would be somewhat surprised if Congress didn’t act soon on the issue. So even without considering the ethical and economical advantages to reforming immigration policy which Sam mentions, and with which I agree, it is to the advantage of any politician in a region with a high population of Latinos to pass a more liberal immigration policy than that which currently exists.
1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/04/latino-vote-arizona_n_4899490.html
In response to Peter O.
I agree with what Peter said about the immigration reform. I also think that immigration reform will be a significant issue to come up in the legislature in the upcoming session. Immigration has had and still has a big impact on the economy and the employment rate, these are both issues that Americans care for deeply. Another issue surrounding immigration reform that will bring it to the floor for debate is the fact that highly skilled immigrants immigrate to America and take jobs as unskilled workers (1). An engineer in China who comes to America will not be able to continue to be an engineer, he will likely have to take a job as a kitchen helper. That is because many immigrants have license in a field in their original country, but that license is not useful in America. This is not only harmful to American unskilled worker employment rate, it is also harmful for immigrants. With the public pressure in support of an immigration reform, the legislature will have to make sure that the immigration reform brought up to debate.
1. http://www.cnbc.com/id/101460837
I agree with Sam G that immigration reform is a potential means to gain votes. There could be a critical election in the making if the parties took stands on immigration reform. Many people have very strong opinions about immigration and it could be a deciding factor, especially those whose families are involved. Long working hours and unfair conditions are an unacceptable byproduct of this lack of policy. While there are not easy solutions, there should be solutions out there that can be at least discussed. Putting this off deprives Americans from being a part of the conversation, voting for members of Congress who follow their political views. It is cowardly and undemocratic to deprive people of this voice in politics. While some may say that Americans do not care very much about immigration policy at the moment because it has not been high up in polls, that is more because there are other bills on the agenda and less media attention than a lack of interest in the subject (1). While it might seem like a good political move, it is not a good move for the country in general. To jumpstart political action and the economy, Congress needs to take a stand.
1 http://wallstcheatsheet.com/politics/economy/do-americans-even-care-about-immigration-reform.html/
I agree with Caroline B with her statement that immigration reform is an important topic to discuss and that it should be higher up on the agenda. As Caroline had stated, we do need to clarify and define our policies on immigration. Republican Jeff Denham had even said that “the entire system is broken” and that it is “a big issue for our nation” (1). There are 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., which clearly shows that immigration reform is an issue that needs to be worked on (1). Caroline mentions that reforming the system would help the economy and expand it, which I agree. California Chamber President had even said that immigration reform is “more important” since it will help the economy prosper (2). I agree with Caroline when she says that it is unlikely that there will be much action taken on this issue. There is a problem with the Republicans not trusting the president which makes it difficult to get anything done in the House (2). Just as Caroline had said, Boehner had voiced concerns that if reform were to pass, Obama would not implemented it as intended (2). Boehner had also mentioned that until there is more trust with the Obama administration, immigration reform can be moved. I also agree with her point that the avoidance of the issue will not last forever. Reelection is at stake and if the Republicans want to be reelected, they must take on the issue of immigration (2). Caroline points out that with the rise of Hispanics, it makes it harder for the Republicans to ignore this issue. I agree with her point because the Republicans want to gain more votes and in order to do so they must take action on this issue (2).
Sources:
1.http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/04/politics/republican-immigration/
2.http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/02/immigration-reform-dead-or-alive-the-note/
In response to Tim L, I find what he has to say very interesting. I like the point that he made about Arizona v U.S. I agree that it takes some either landmark case or serious event for people to either form strong opinions about immigration or care about it at all. Immigration is an important issue, as Tim stated. While legal immigrants can be beneficial in some ways, llegal immigrants pose serious threats to our security and economy. Each year more than 1.3 million legal and illegal aliens settle permanently in the U.S (1). On top of that, llegal aliens make up over 25% of the federal prison population. This means that a group which comprises less than 5% of the population is committing 25% percent of the crime (1). If those numbers don't alarm people then I something is wrong with them. I agree with Tim about the varying opinions, like how some people feel that they should be deported and others granted amnesty. I agree with Tim also in him saying that the system is broken. We both feel that there isn't much that will be done about it at the time and know that this challenge of immigration reform isn't easy and will require efforts far into the future.
Works Cited
1)http://citizensforlaws.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=101gfv
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I disagree with Peter O'Connor's post. You state that the, "Republicans have made it known that they are willing to work on this issue." It seems to me as if you should have looked for a more up to date source, as the most recent development is that Boehner has stated that he is "unwilling to move forward with immigration reform until Obama gains their trust (1)." For this reason, I disagree that Immigration Reform will come up this year because it would be politically unwise by both Obama and the republicans to do so. I would write more, but there are too many finals to study for.
Oh and for the sake of this being our last post. Ms. Aby- I did so very much enjoy having the opportunity to be sassy with these blog posts.
(1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/boehner-immigration-reform-stalls-because-gop-has-widespread-doubt-about-obama/2014/02/06/233b497a-8f55-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html
In response to our last blog post about immigration, I agree with Jack F.’s post. We both agreed that immigration is a major problem in the United States. However, I disagreed with him when he said that it wasn’t the biggest problem at the moment. I believe that it is a major problem and Congress should be focusing quite a bit of attention on it. I agreed with Jack again when he said that the Republicans are calling for higher security and tighter deportation laws (1). I feel like that is the best circumstance to implement for the situation at the current time. Like I said in my blog post, I feel like it’s unfair that illegal immigrants can waltz right into America and start working here. I feel like it’s a special privilege to be born in the USA and these immigrants are just getting that privilege for free. Also like I said in my last blog post, I’m sad that the immigration reform is dead, but I’m sure that it’s future looks bright. With all the things that need to be done in America, I put immigration reform towards the top of the list.
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/03/03/john-boehner-says-the-right-thing-about-immigration/
My response is to Rilyn. I would have to agree with her on her opinions involving the matter of immigration reform occurring within the year. One of the big issues for the republican party is that they are divided on the issue of how to handle immigration (1). I liked your suggestion for a “comprehensive, cohesive immigration reform plan” because i feel like in a time when our country is political unaware of its standings, we need a plan that can be understood by all. I also liked how you looked at both sides of the problem. While some in Congress are pushing immigration reform because they believe the country will benefit economically, the rest of the country is not as enthusiastic about reform policy (2). If Congress and the President were able to rouse the people, then it could make it easier to pass reform. The points you made about our current immigration policy was also good. I agree that our naturalization system is flawed. I dont believe it should be that difficult for a person residing in our country for a good portion of their life to be unable to be considered a citizen. Hopefully, if immigration reform becomes more popular, the reform can fix some of the holes in the system.
1.http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/us/politics/behind-retreat-on-immigration-a-complicated-political-interplay.html?_r=0
2. http://www.ibtimes.com/republican-outlook-immigration-reform-we-have-get-past-primaries-1556446
I agree with Ivy; I also think immigration reform is a very important policy issue in the United States. Ivy wrote that part of this significance is due to the fact that so many people are affected by immigration policy: for example, as of 2011, 40.4 million US residents were immigrants, a number which, in the past three years, has only increased (4). In 2011, one in every eight US residents was an immigrant, accounting for 13% of the total US population at the time (4). According to Ivy’s post, today this proportion is closer to 17%, which is a huge statistical increase from three years ago. As a second-generation immigrant and first-generation American, I can’t help but agree wholeheartedly with Ivy when she writes that these policy reforms simply can’t be postponed any longer. Congress needs to make decisions to help undocumented immigrants become citizens, rather than discussing the minute details of their economic contributions and expenditures -- and, ironically, in 2010, 5.2% of the US labor force consisted of undocumented immigrants, whereas in terms of population they only made up 3.7% (4). In terms of the potential economic drawbacks of reforming immigration policy to allow undocumented immigrants to more conveniently attain citizenship, there are a few. The CBO reports that immigration reform could potentially reduce average wages in America for the next twelves years, but as the reduction is 0.1 of a percentage point, it seems totally fine to let it slide (2). However, a more substantive drawback of reforming immigration policy is the cost of welfare programs to support currently undocumented immigrants who become legal who will be eligible for services such as TANF and CHIP (2). In the long run, bringing more people into the tax system will balance out the people who need government services discussed previously (2).
Also, I definitely agree with what Ivy says about the Latino electorate as an important part of both the Democratic and Republican parties’ coalitions. As the Catholic Church, which is a huge part of the Republican party coalition, is made up of a lot of Latinos, it seems likely that soon, more Republicans will be pushing for immigration reform as well (3). As Grover Nordquist, a very conservative political advocate, points out, what makes the US different from other countries is the influx of immigrants coming in; especially because, as Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J Donahue assers, immigrants don’t compete with Americans for jobs, rather, they fill labor shortages (1). So hopefully, the Senate will reconsider and soon pass the US immigration laws passed last summer (1).
(1) http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/25/grover-norquist-well-see-some-sort-immigration-ref/
(2)
http://www.voanews.com/content/the-economics-of-immigration-reform/1855855.html
(3) http://www.latinopost.com/articles/4613/20140303/immigration-reform-2014-six-new-york-house-republicans-support-passage-of-immigration-reform-in-2014.htm
(4) http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2013/04/03/59040/the-facts-on-immigration-today-3/
I disagree with Alyssa about one point but I agree with her on the rest of her points. The point I disagree with is that illegal immigrants don’t pay taxes. America is designed so you can’t avoid paying a tax if you want to survive. There’s a tax for food, water, shelter, gas, heat, air conditioning, clothing; so even though the federal government may not be deducting money from the illegal’s most of the time meager pay check they more than cover it in other forms of tax. As for not increasing border patrol I agree with that but I’m curious to know what other alternatives you would give for stopping illegal immigration. My idea would be to make the nationalization process or the process to enter the country easier not so easy that it’s unsafe but easier in that it doesn’t take so much time. I think the more convenient for immigrants to enter the country the better. Think Ellis Island and the millions of Immigrants granted asylum here through the legal process. As for making it bigger I agree on that to illegal immigration is dangerous because there are so many undocumented people and undocumented people are a security risk.
In response to Rilyn’s post I have to agree with many other points. Much of the system. Now for immigrants to become citizens is very lengthy and difficult. We need to make immigration reform to help not just the illegal immigrants we have, yet to help business in the country. She has many valid points with the economic concerns of this issue. Especially now that there are many untapped skilled workers from China and India that could help American companies yet can’t because of their legal status here(1). Many people are focused on the low level immigrants that have no skills, but even them have skills. We need these workers to help our economy grow and expand. Many people now just focus on the economy and how immigration reform won’t help the nation. Though if we have immigration reform we actually will be able to help our economy at the same time. I sadly also have to agree with Rilyn that no progress will be made this year. As many Americans want to focus on Healthcare and the economy. It probably won’t be until the next presidential election when we this issue being looked at. Even then we will also have to wait for any action to be actually taken and how long it will take to go into effect with all the political gridlock.
(1) http://www.cnbc.com/id/101460837
I agree with what Spencer had to say. While Immigration is an important policy matter other things, such as the economy need to be taken care of first. In a recent Gallup poll given 19 issues to rate as extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not important at all, Gallup found that those who viewed immigration as extremely or very important for Congress and the president in 2014 placed the issue at the bottom of the list, with 50 percent agreeing (1). Like Spence said already though congress is making it a more important subject than it probably needs to be. This could be to appease the presiden’t wishes to take action immediately. We also both agreed on the fact that although congress is rating it as a higher priority nothing will most likely be done about in the immediate future. One thing is for certain however something must be done about immigration law because as of now with so many undocumented immigrants working it is hurting how our economy and country. If nothing is done the country will continue to be in recession and will not be able to make progress towards being a thriving country again.
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/politics/economy/do-americans-even-care-about-immigration-reform.html/
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Since I have not yet responded to Rilyn, here is a response, I very much agree. Although I believe that immigration reform should be of top priority to public policy, I don't believe that it is viewed in the right way. Rilyn mentioned a Gallup poll from January revealed that less than fifty percent of Americans view immigration reform as very important, and the average American placed issues regarding the economy, education, and health care above it (1). Rilyn talked the importance of immigration reform from an economic standpoint. An easier process for allowing immigrants to become citizens should be implemented so that they can find work, make a living, and get an education, which allows them to benefit the U.S. economy. Also I thought it was interesting the point that she brought up about the $2 billion that is spent annually. That’s not exactly pocket change but there are also other policy issue that cost more(2). It’s pretty easy to see our government is in deep debt, such expenditures on an inefficient program such as this proves irresponsible and unnecessary. So in response and conclusion, I do agree that immigration should be higher on the priority list, but I don’t think much progress was made this year. I’m keeping my hopes high for the future though.
1 http://wallstcheatsheet.com/politics/economy/do-americans-even-care-about-immigration-reform.html/ 2 http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/why-does-us-need-immigration-reform
I agree with Alyssa Leitgen that immigration reform is complex and complicated. I also agree with her statement that although most of the nation's ancestors were immigrants, illegal immigrants are still a problem. I agree with Alyssa that there is a lot of conflicting information about what Obama has been doing in regard to immigration reform. Obama has worked hard to get immigration reform bills passed through Congress, though he has not been met with a lot of success (1). However, he has also deported close to 2 million illegal immigrants (1). There have been many immigrant rights groups that are unhappy with the current immigration system, and with it nearing election time, I think that this is a good time to bring this issue to the foreground, just as Alyssa suggested. I share her feelings about the Republicans not taking any position on the subject, and that it seems like a weak thing to do, especially with the upcoming elections so close at hand. This should be a time to address issues that are relevant to the nation's interests, not hide from hot topics just because they may be unpopular. If this was how every controversial issue was handled, nothing would ever get dealt with. As Alyssa said, it is time for immigration reform to be revived from the political dead zone and addressed.
(1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/03/06/obama-im-the-champion-in-chief-on-immigration-reform/
I am for a less selective approach to immigration reform because I believe that the net effect of letting more immigrants live in America will be positive. A study done by the Bipartisan Policy Center also came to this conclusion, finding that “during the next 20 years, immigration would bolster the country's economic growth by 4.8 percent. The report shows that immigration reform would reduce the country's deficits by $1.2 trillion during this time, as young, working immigrants take jobs and pay taxes” (1). I also think that immigration is part of the solution to problems facing America due to its aging population. Young immigrants who move to America have more children than those born in America. Making more immigrants and immigrants’ children documented citizens will allow for these groups to both have a better life, and better serve the American country through higher levels of education, health, and employment.
I also think that outdated immigration policies will be affecting us specifically as we start going to college and interacting with international students. These students are affected by laws that make it hard for them to become citizens and enter the workforce (2). To change immigration policies would allow these highly educated and highly productive international students to easily enter and improve our economy as a job-holding citizen.
1.http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/10/29/immigration-reform-boosts-economic-recovery
2.http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/198373-economy-will-benefit-from-immigration-reform
I completely agree with Laura H’s assessment of immigration reform as an important issue. As Laura points out, immigrants “alter our ethnic composition in a positive way, one that brings strength and vitality into the United States,”. In large cities, immigration has been linked to decreased crime and economic revitalization (1). The argument that immigrants are dangerous threats to our way of life and economy is simply untrue. Scholars found in an issue of the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science that “immigrant youths in Los Angeles were involved in less crime and violence than their native-born peers in similar economic circumstances” (1). Comprehensive immigration reform should be a top priority for both Congress and President Obama. While Laura states that immigration reform is not truly ‘dead’, I believe that there must be further action taken on the issue. The Republican controlled House has refused to pass legislation with a path to citizenship. If this trend continues, I don’t see much success for immigration reform in the coming year. Laura’s description of the coalition of women’s organizations brought up an interesting point. Republican leaders will have a hard time gaining reelection if they cannot draw support from the Latino population, especially women. These organizations argue that our broken immigration system is harming mostly women and children and point out that women will be decisive in upcoming elections (2). This coalition of over 50 groups is extremely determined and could prove influential in the reform process. While it would be advantageous for Republicans to address the issue as they would gain support, I believe that immigration reform will prove a lengthy process.
1) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/opinion/the-beneficial-impact-of-immigrants.html?_r=0
2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/02/20/immigration-reform-as-a-womens-issue/
In response to Peter o'Connor's post, I agree with him. As immigration in the United States is growing, immigration reform will continually be brought up and will slowly climb the political agenda ladder. Immigrants to the United States are having a major impact in the everyday lives of Americans as the media is constantly talking about the Latino vote and how it is increasingly more and more important for candidates running for office to secure the Latino vote. Latinos currently make up a large portion of immigrants to the United States, but soon people from all corners of the world will be immigrating to the United States and this will have a profound impact not only on the politics within the United States, but also on the economy. The Congressional Budget Office has made estimates that immigration reform would increase the U.S. GDP, in comparison to current U.S. immigration laws, by 3.3% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2033 (1). This would be a $700 billion and $1.4 trillion increase in GDP in today's current dollar. It's evident that these are drastic numbers that may alter the course of this nation. One point that I disagree with Peter is when he said that he thinks that immigration will become "loser, not as tight, not as strict and severe." Immigration is a very touchy issue for many Americans as this country was founded by immigrants. However, there is evidence that shows that Americans over consumes on many things in comparison to other countries around the world. Because of this, I believe that many Americans will find it difficult to give up a little of what they currently have in order to share it with other people that are immigrating to the United States. Since immigration is such a controversial topic, I believe that Congress taking on immigration reform will be no easy task and it will be a long and enduring process. To sum up, immigration reform is a crucial topic that Congress needs to debate about but before immigration reform takes off, there will be many baby steps that gets it going on its way.
(1) http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/economy
I agree with Caroline B.’s post, especially in that she believes the United States needs to not only prioritize but also clarify our immigration reform policies. Many members of the government from both parties claim that the entirety of our immigration system is damaged and cannot be fixed without major reforms; however, no group or prominent individual has made much of an effort to outline exactly what should be changed to fix this problem and how those changes will occur. As there are almost twelve million undocumented immigrants in the United States, incorporation of those individuals will almost certainly (as Caroline said) be extremely helpful for the American economy, among other positive effects, which makes it even more important an issue than it would be if it were just a matter of the wellbeing of these individuals. I also agree with Caroline’s point that the government will likely not take action on this issue; the trust issues between the House Republicans and President Obama are almost certain to postpone any major decision-making (both on this issue and on many others) for quite some time. In fact, as Caroline pointed out in her comment, Speaker Boehner claims that even if reforms were successfully passed somehow, the president would fail to follow through successfully; therefore he would prefer to wait at least until the Republicans trust the president more, if not until the new president takes office. However, once again as Caroline said, the Republicans do still want to be reelected, and immigration reform is such a popular issue that addressing it is absolutely vital in terms of voter support—especially with the growing population of Hispanic immigrants, which Caroline also referenced. In short, I entirely agree with Caroline in that immigration reform is a vital issue that should be talked about but will likely not be addressed until the tension between the president and Republican congressmembers is relieved, if not even after that.
1. http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/04/politics/republican-immigration/
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/03/03/john-boehner-says-the-right-thing-about-immigration/
3. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/02/immigration-reform-dead-or-alive-the-note/
In response to Sam G.’s Post, I find I must amend my previous opinion that the issue of immigration wouldn’t be considered a major policy issue in the future. As he stated, the Latino vote served as an important deciding factor in the last couple of elections, and if it continues to be one, then I believe that politicians will seek to appeal to this voters and try to win them over. Immigration reform will no doubt serve as an important tool in doing so, as in a poll, 67% of Latino voters suggested that they believe illegal immigrants should be offered a chance to apply for citizenship, rather than be deported (1). If these voters continue to be a major force, then politicians will bring immigration reform back to the table. In regards to Sam’s statement that immigration reform will happen because of the inhumane work conditions that are suffered by illegal immigrants, I find I disagree with this. This people aren’t legal, so they don’t have a vote, so already they have a disadvantage. Not to mention the people working illegal immigrants like this are doing so illegally, and as such don’t typically stay in operation very long. The typical illegal immigrant no doubt multiple part- time jobs, rather than one long 16 hour job, which is more of a personal choice, rather than a forced lifestyle. It’s also important to remember that these people have come here with the intent of working like this, as in their eyes it’s probably still better than what they experienced in where they immigrated from. It may sound cold, but I don’t believe immigration reform will happen because of inhumane working conditions.
1. http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/11/07/latino-voters-in-the-2012-election/
I agree with Amanda N's statement. I definitely also think that it is a significant policy issue, but it will be difficult to pass anything any legislation regarding immigration within the next year. Seeing immigration as an economic issue brings a different light to it: instead of just seeing them as people who are "taking our jobs," we can see immigrants as people who can reform our nation and turn it into something better. With the increasing party polarization (look, I used a smart word!) in both the House and Senate, the probability of accomplishing anything that both sides agree with is almost none. I don't know exactly how it would work, but they would need to agree on something, but I can't see that happening until the next election. I agree that the Republicans would have to add some sort of immigration reform if they want tot be successful in upcoming elections since immigrants form such a large part of our voter demographic. I'm glad we agree on such a controversial topic, thanks for writing a great blog post :)
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-obama-immigration-reform-champion-20140306,0,3306206.story#axzz2vEzw9bov
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/immigrants-welcome-here/?_php=true&_type=blogs&hp&rref=opinion&_r=0
I agree with Peter O. in that immigration is a major public policy issue. I also find it quite amusing that Mr. Obama ,as Peter said, "chided" the republicans for being afraid to put their political reputations in jeopardy. I do not agree with Peter on the fact that policy in regards to illegal immigration will loosen up. Like he stated in his post, the republicans as well as Obama have said they want to fix the illegal immigration problem. This shows that they are willing to put forth the effort to somehow limit the high number of illegal immigrants and if they can come to a solution for this problem then there will be less of an issue. On the other hand however if nothing changes Peter very well could be right and I completely wrong.
Spencer brings up an key issue in his blog post: balancing the importance of immigration reform with the priority of immigration reform. As Spencer said, there is no doubt that immigration reform will be a boost to America, particularly economically. However recently, Congress has not been known for its ability to multitask, or even get one thing accomplished for that matter. Congress can be easily compared to sheep. If you herd them in the right direction they’ll get there eventually. Maybe not on the timetable we would like but they will get there eventually. However sheep are most effectively herded as a pack, so the best hope to get anything done is keep the pack together. Unfortunately, immigration reform splits up the pack in two ways. The obvious way is that each party disagrees with the other party’s idea for immigration, though they are more similar than they might care to admit (1). The second way immigration reform splits up the pack is you won’t be able to get Congress to stop thinking about other issues like economic bills or healthcare. Simply put America has to work with what it has. That means that though immigration reform can be of great benefit to the country, there are more immediate concerns to handle and the best hope for productivity is having Congress focus on the other issues.
1) http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/09/did-schumer-call-boehners-bluff-on-immigration/
I will respond to Spencer’s post. I agree with Spencer on the fact that while immigration is a huge issue, it is not a priority. I think that the struggles that we are having with our world partners, like Russia, and the national issues, like the ACA/Obamacare and the distrust of that at home, takes a higher precedence. I also agree with Spencer on the fact that even though a bill was proposed in Congress, I don’t think it’ll last, as almost immediately when the GOP had immigration reform on their agenda they received backlash from their own party (1). This shows that Republicans, let alone Congress, aren’t ready for major immigration reform. Even so, I am impressed with the steps forward that they are making recognizing this is not a partisan issue.
I disagree with the implication that Spencer had on the idea though that the US and it’s lackluster citizenship pathways. Even though it doesn’t seem it, the US has pretty impressive citizenship pathways, especially compared to Europe. However I do agree with Spencer and believe that the US should open up it’s borders, or at least make the path to legal crossing of borders a smoother and simpler process.
1. http://baystatebanner.com/news/2014/mar/05/immigration-reform-gop-agenda-2014/
I agree with Jessica in that immigration reform is a sensitive and significant issue. Much of the nation is made up of immigrants and ancestor of immigrants. Pushing aside immigration reform for political means is despicable.This issue is directly connected to many people and should be considered respectfully and soon. Because of the growth of the Latino population in the red states specifically, they should not be turning away from reform, especially now. They have the potential to build up Latino support (not that they would ever get a large Latino following from their other current standings) now not in the future when these states have a Latino majority. Latinos made up 10% of the voting population in the 2012 election. (1) This large voting demographic was largely in favor of Obama because he has brought up immigration reform and has taken it more seriously than Congress in the past four years. The Democratic party should take charge and push for immigration reform while they have this vote. This issue must be faced. As Jessica said when the reform is implemented, the United States will grow in more than one way. More people will be taxed, leading to more revenue for important government programs, more people will be documented which is a safer system for the rest of the nation, and benefits America overall. I also like the extra fact at the end of her post. President Obama has deported the most undocumented immigrants making him the most strict and serious president on this issue in the recent past.
(1) http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/09/politics/latino-vote-key-election
I agree with RIlyn in that it is not likely that anything will be accomplished this year regarding the immigration reform. The reforms are needed and the Republican party is just delaying the inevitable by not creating any laws. Many people want a law passed and because of the divide in the Republican party, they won’t be the ones to create a bill. It will be the Democratic party that will most likely write up the bill and take the initiative. She said that even though business leaders want reform as well because it creates better job opportunities, the GOP is too split to be able to write a law. I think that they do need to patch up their party under one banner no matter what if they are going to win the presidency in 2016. This reform won’t matter because like she says the majority of the population does not believe it is an important issue. So if one side can’t agree with another they need to combine and try to work it out because not creating any legislation to win more votes will not get them different results in the Legislature elections this year. I think that the detention is not a good idea either. In 2013, the total cost of paying for illegal immigration in the state of North Carolina was about $2 billion, and that isn’t even a border state.(1) It costs way too much to be able to hold them in those detention centers and with the welfare. It also doesn’t accomplish anything, they don’t have any mental issues to correct and they are treated like prisoners even though they haven’t done any human crimes. I think that unless they are actually in danger from a corrupt government, when steps can be taken to not make them deport, they should be able to be sent back to run through immigration legally and make sure they become law-abiding citizens in this country and not just milk the system. It is a big issue especially in states that the GOP should be able to control, and they are not taking advantage of it.
1. http://news.yahoo.com/illegal-immigration-costs-north-carolina-taxpayers-more-2-195200307.html;_ylt=A0LEV0cyRxlTH3wAoThXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0ZWo3dXFsBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDMzM18x
In response to Kathy: I completely agree with Kathy's points. While my post focused more on the political climate of the Republican party in regards to immigration, Kathy's post brings up more deep-seated issues such as American exceptionalism. Though we took on different angels, the point is clear: the Republicans just don't get it when it comes to immigration reform. One point Kathy made that I believe is very important is the small business aspect. According to the New York Time, immigrants only make up 13% of the population, but 18% of small business owners, and employed almost 5 million people in 2007 (1). The fact that most of the GOP won't budge on the issue of immigration reform is potentially hurting America's small business sector, and costing the US millions in potential tax revenue. Consider that reform would probably boost small business revenue, plus the fact that it would increase the sway of the Latino vote are both reasons that the Republicans should making more of an effort on immigration. The immigration issue, granted it is a less heated debate than say the debt ceiling, is still a political game of chicken that both corners of Washington are playing with each other. The control and mediation of our borders is obviously a very important piece of domestic, as well as foreign policy, and should be at the forefront of the agenda.
(1) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/opinion/sunday/immigrants-and-small-business.html?_r=0
I agree with Kelvin that immigration reform is a growing issue. As the United States becomes more and more diverse, immigration is an important topic. I also agree with Kelvin that Congress and the president should pay more attention to the issue, but not for the same reasons. While Kelvin thinks that they should address the topic because of votes, I think the topic should be addressed because immigration boosts the economy, and that is always a positive. Loosening the constraints on immigration would save money on illegal immigration prevention, ease the strain on social security, and create new jobs.
In response to Ivy,
I agree with you that Immigration is an important issue in the United States, and it ultimately affects all Americans, but I think that you are overemphasizing its importance. Yes, there are a lot of illegal immigrants in the United States, and yes, many of their children are born here and are technically United States citizens, but this has been a problem for a long time and will probably continue to be a problem as long as the standard of living in the United States is significantly higher than that of Mexico. At the current time, the government simply has other problems to worry about, i.e. the economy and job creation. In a recent poll, only a pitiful 40% of Americans even think that the economy is improving (1), and I think that the astounding majority of Americans who think that the economy is getting worse deserve to be appeased in the present. In addition, even though you say that immigration is being “pushed under the rug,” you even say that John Boehner has established when the immigration problem will be dealt with. He believes there are more important issues the GOP should focus on before midterms, probably because the majority of Americans think that the economy is a greater issue than the “17%” that are affected by the immigration reform.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/economy.aspx?ref=b
In response to Maddy S. blog post, I agree that the very principal of immigrants coming into America and taking jobs from American people is wrong on many levels. With the unemployment rate at 6.6% (1), we should be focusing on giving the American People work, instead of giving them to people who cross our borders illegally. I also agree with Maddy when she talked about how much she supports the rate in which President Obama has been deporting illegal immigrants (2). If immigrants were to want the American Dream, they should do it legally. I disagree however with the notion that immigration is one of America's biggest issues at the moment. I think that the government needs to solve their domestic problems, like health care and the economy before they can tackle such a big issue like immigration. Think of it this way, if government was to focus only on illegal immigration reform, what would the country look like? And would immigrants even want to come in?
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anita-sinha/immigration-reform_b_4840585.html
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