Illegal Immigration Issues

In the United States today, the issues of illegal immigration and all immigration exist as major focal points of debate, discussion and demagoguery. In this year’s election, we have heard numerous candidates address this issue with different methods and explanations, but the debate remains extremely heated and controversial. Specifically, Donald Trump has been luring in voters with his promises of a border wall, mass deportations and countless other fascist, nativist ‘solutions’ to the ‘problem’ that many Americans perceive as of chief concern. However, research institutions have released information in recent years that has greatly discredited this perceived epidemic of illegal immigration. In our class, we have discussed migration, walls …show more content…
for Mexico and not the other way around? Although the American ‘right-wing’ has committed itself to demonizing immigration from anywhere south of our border, they are not the only culpable party when it comes to this problem we have today. Of course, immigrants to the United States should be forced to seek citizenship at some point in the near future, but they should also be able to easily do so and be allowed access to work visas and basic necessities while initially in America. Despite the fact that the rest of America’s political class generally agrees with these principles, they have fumbled with the logistics of putting immigration reform in place and have thus failed in their jobs to construct fair, common sense legislation. So, the current state of affairs in regards to immigration policy in America begs the question: since when has America’s leadership simultaneously become resistant to embracing potential new, tax-paying members of our democracy and incapable of working towards a fair compromise to a divisive …show more content…
In essence, such terms create a clear bias against these individuals, painting them as serious criminals, or terrorists, or what have you. In my opinion, such terminology should never be applied to such individuals, as even though they are technically breaking the law, does the term illegal really have such a clear meaning? Or does it imply something greater than simply committing an illegal act? For instance, millions of people jaywalk, drive faster than posted speed limits, and download illegal music every day. Are these people referred to as illegal pedestrians, drivers or listeners? Or are they just doing what they feel is appropriate and/or necessary? All in all, the terms associated with undocumented immigrants to the United States are generally sensationalized and demonized due to a large sect of the American public’s perception of these ‘aliens’ as such, foreign creatures that are invading the country in order to take jobs, use up resources,