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There has been a large debate lately over immigration into the United States from Mexico. In 1993, 904, 292 legal immigrants entered the United States and of these, 301, 380 were from Latin America (Duignan and Gann, 4). It is estimated that an additional 1. 2 million immigrants enter illegally each year from Mexico, creating problems for the states in which they reside and the taxpayers. I want to focus on the ways that the immigrants help and hurt the economy, job market and the communities in which they live. I will also discuss some of the laws that have been enacted and their effect on immigration. Many American citizens believe that many immigrants come to America to receive welfare.
The federal government mandated public support for all immigrants, legal and illegal. In 1989, 21 % of legal immigrant households received welfare benefits, compared to 14 % of native born households (Duignan &# 038; Gann, 29). That may seem like a small number, but the immigrant households made up 8 % of all households and they account for 13. 8 % of all of the public assistance money that is distributed (Duignan &# 038; Gann, 29). The immigrant population that receives assistance is usually in the form of food stamps or Medicaid because most of the immigrant population is young and does not qualify for Social Security benefits or Medicare. In a 1996 survey, 78 % of Americans felt that immigrants worked hard and took many jobs that Americans did not want (Duignan &# 038; Gann, 45). 80 % of immigrants are employed and work hard but there are many pros and cons to this situation (Duignan &# 038; Gann, 44). Some immigrants are more likely to succeed in America than they would if they had stayed in their home countries.
Many immigrants have farm jobs with low wages, but these wages keep many produce prices low. Prices in other industries are kept lower due to low wages received by immigrants, such as the restaurant, service, meat and poultry industries. Since a large proportion of the American population is aging, there is a constant need for new workers to help pay social benefits and keep America competitive in high-tech industries. Many high skilled workers come to the United States because there are a lack of skilled jobs in Mexico. This is a benefit to America because these workers come here with the skills needed with no cost to the public to educate and train them. Many companies also benefit because they get a different perspective from employees with different training and backgrounds.
Immigrants create jobs when they arrive here because there are more people to purchase goods and services. Although the availability of low skilled jobs for native born Americans is sometimes decreased, the low wages often paid to the immigrants help to keep the jobs from being taken over by new forms of technology. On the other hand, the low wages paid to many immigrants and the positions given to skilled workers have many negative consequences. The unlimited supply of unskilled labor keeps the wages low and takes jobs away from unskilled Americans. The low wages also slows down modernization of many industries because it is cheaper to pay the low wages than to eliminate the jobs and add new technology. The low wages also hurt the middle class by lowering wages and adds to economic inequality.
Many jobs are taken away from unskilled Americans and given to immigrants that are willing to work for lower wages and no benefits. The labor participation rates of native born men decreased from 67 % in 1970 to 47 % in 1990 for high school dropouts (McCarthy, 68). This decline is due to the filling of these jobs by immigrants. It is estimated that by 1990, 130, 000 to 190, 000 people or 1. 9 percent of the adult population of working age dropped out of the labor market or were unemployed due to immigration McCarthy &# 038; Vernez, 69). There was also a 24 % drop in earnings for high school dropouts between 1970 and 1990 due to the low wages that the immigrants were paid (McCarthy &# 038; Vernez, 69).
Since many immigrants live together in communities, they are more likely to shop and support other immigrants so the rest of the economy is not benefited at all. Many skilled immigrants are recruited from large companies in America. As many as 140, 000 workers are recruited from other countries each year (Duignan and Gann, 38). The companies claim that they have a shortage of skilled workers here so they pay for workers to come in from Asia and Mexico. These workers often are hired into engineering and computer programming positions, although many qualified Americans are looking for those positions everyday. The immigrants will often work for lower wages and fewer benefits than American workers.
The unwillingness of companies to hire American workers is evidenced by some companies claims that if they do not recruit people from other countries; they will ship jobs offshore. The large number of immigrants that are admitted into the United States each year contributes to the already large problem of population growth and the scarcity of natural resources. On average immigrants have more children than native born Americans (Brimelow, 107). The United States already consumes natural resources at a greater rate than any other country, and with an added population growth of at least 1 million legal immigrants a year, scientists worry about food shortages and pressure on water, soil, timber and energy supplies. The added population needs new homes, schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. With large cities spilling over into the suburbs at an alarming rate, there is no longer much room left to develop.
Since many immigrants are concentrated in large cities, many small cities have to deal with overcrowding due to the overcrowding of the urban areas. This leads to increased housing prices, pollution, crowded schools and the suburbanization of natural and historical sites. If the population growth continues, the United States may be experiencing food shortages by the year 2030 (Duignan and Gann, 25). The educational systems have a difficult time keeping up with the growth in immigrant population. In the 1980 s in California, 40 % of the native-born children were born to foreign born parents in California (McCarthy &# 038; Vernez, 73). More than 57 % of the school enrollment in the 1980 s was attributed to immigration (McCarthy &# 038; Vernez, 72).
Between 1992 and 2003, school enrollment nationwide will increase by nearly nine million students, the majority of them coming from immigrant families (Beck, 155). Overcrowded schools are already a problem in many cities, but Texas needs to build two new schools a week and California needs to build one new school everyday in order to keep up with the increased enrollment (Beck, 155). It costs approximately $ 15, 000 per child for each new school and an annual cost of $ 5, 000 per child to educate them (Beck, 155). It is also difficult to find teachers to work in bilingual classrooms. Bilingual education is required in nine states in all districts with a designated number of limited English proficient students (LED). In Massachusetts, twenty LED students in one district will require a separate classroom with native-language instruction taught by a certified bilingual education teacher, even if there are only two such students in each grade (Duignan and Gann, 50).
Students are taught to read and write in their native language, which creates a debate about the children learning and becoming proficient in English. A study by the National Research Council found that there are no advantages to teaching LED children in their native language. They also found that teaching children to read English before their native language caused no harm (Duignan and Gann, 51). Emphasizing cultural and ethnic differences in the classroom often causes stereotyping, did not improve the self-esteem of the minority children, and reinforced the differences of those children from others (Duignan and Gann, 51). There was also no research to support that teachers who are members of minority groups are more effective teachers than other groups. The study concluded that the U.
S. Department of Education s bilingual education program had been a waste of hundreds of millions of dollars and was created more for political purposes than education (Duignan and Gann, 51). Many educators feel that bilingual education end up dividing immigrants from the native born Americans instead of uniting them. Use of welfare by immigrants, especially elderly immigrants, has become a large problem.
More recent immigrant waves are more likely to use welfare than earlier waves; in 1970, 5. 5 % of immigrant households that have arrived in the past five years received welfare, by 1990, 8. 3 % were receiving cash benefits (Duignan &# 038; Gann, 47). The number of elderly immigrants has gone up 400 % in the last ten years (Duignan and Gann, 47). When elderly immigrants come into the country to join relatives that are already here, they relatives have to sign a promise that the elderly will not become public charges. Elderly immigrants make up 21 % of immigrants, but account for 40 % of all immigrant welfare users (Duignan and Gann, 44).
Many elderly immigrants that come here do not learn English, are in poor health and therefore cannot work. Illegal immigrants cause many problems for the taxpayers, state and federal governments. The federal government requires public education and emergency healthcare to all illegal immigrants, but it is also the federal government s responsibility to patrol the borders. Each year, there are 2 million undocumented crossings into the United States from Mexico, with the number increasing about 150, 000 each year (Passel, 194).
About 1. 8 million illegal immigrants live in California with an additional 125, 000 coming across the border each year (McCarthy &# 038; Vernez, 59). The children born to illegal immigrant parents are eligible for full welfare benefits. Many illegal immigrants were admitted with legal visas, but stayed beyond their expiration date. The illegal immigrants come to the United Stated from Mexico for many reasons.
One reason is Mexico s deteriorating economic conditions. There is a less competitive market due to NAFTA and trade restrictions. In Mexico, unskilled jobs are eliminated due to technology and unemployment and underemployment remain high. The United States also offers Mexicans political stability, a constitutional government, freedom from corruption, a greater number of jobs and more opportunities for economic advancement. Illegal immigrants find jobs in farming and service industries.
There have been many laws enacted to reduce the number of illegal immigrants. The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 removed national origin quotas and opened immigration to Asia and Latin America. Family reunification became the primary criteria for permanent legal immigration. This enabled legal immigrants to bring their family members over legally, but right now, there are 3. 5 million people waiting to enter the United States (Duignan &# 038; Gann, 17). Even though this law made it easier for people to come to the United States legally, illegal immigration still remained a problem. In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act was passed, which made employers verify that their immigrant employees were in the country legally.
It became an offense to hire, continue to employ, or recruit illegal aliens. Illegal immigrants that were hired before the law was passed were permitted to continue to work without sanctions to the employer. This act led to discrimination in hiring of citizens due to foreign appearance or accent because of a fear of employer sanctions. Employers were also only checking immigration status on applicants that appeared to be foreign. Even though the government found evidence of discrimination, the employer sanctions have not been repealed. Congress is working on a more efficient system in order to check the status of potential employees.
The sanctions were not consistently enforced until 1996, when the number of investigators was doubled. Applicants were also using fake Social Security cards and INS documents so Congress is working on a national registry of authorized workers (Passel, 200). In 1994, Operation Gatekeeper was enacted to try to stop border crossing on the San Diego border, which is where 25 % of all arrests occur (Passel, 197). Operation Gatekeeper included better fences and barriers, sensors, night vision goggles and increased personnel. It appeared to slow down border crossing in the beginning, but in December 1994 the value of the peso dropped and many immigrants started crossing the border elsewhere. Operation Gatekeeper has been successful in slowing down illegal immigration into San Diego, but has done nothing to stop it anywhere else.
The Illegal Immigration and Reform Act of 1996 doubled the number of border patrols, adding another five thousand agents over the next five years. It also expands and strengthens border fences. The government is hoping that this will deter potential border crosser's but will most likely help conversion of temporary to permanent immigration (Passel, 198). This act also tried to control visa overstays by limiting subsequent access to the United States.
The law also increases penalties for production and use of false documents and tightens controls on birth certificates. The only problem so far is system errors that unintentionally deny legal immigrants the right to work. This law naturalized over 1. 3 million immigrants so they could keep their benefits. Many of these immigrants may have returned to their home countries if they were not satisfied with their lives here, but since they are naturalized, they have to stay. Since California has the largest population of illegal immigrants, they have passed Proposition 187, which is a controversial act that would cut off benefits such as public education and emergency health care to all illegal immigrants. It also requires verification of proof of residence before receiving any public services.
Employers and public officials are also required to report people that they suspect are illegal immigrants. This proposition is met by resistance from the public and federal government. The federal government is questioning the constitutionality because it is inconsistent with federal laws. If the proposition works, it is estimated that it will save the state up to $ 200 million (Haines &# 038; Rosenblum, 376). The proposition passed November 19, 1994 and may cause many problems for society. Nearly 300, 000 children will be expelled from school (Haines and Rosenblum, 379).
School officials will be required to report the families of illegal immigrants to the INS, and the family would be detained and deported. If non-emergency health care is denied, children will not be able to receive vaccinations, which may cause an epidemic of curable diseases. Illegal immigrants that cannot find work due to restrictions may turn to desperate measures to survive, such as black market sweatshops or criminal activities. The proposition would basically cut the illegal immigrants off from mainstream society. Many people feel that this would not really be fair because instead of deterring new illegal immigrants, the ones that are already here are being punished. The government has a difficult job in trying to control immigration.
Illegal immigration needs to be controlled and the number of legal immigrants allowed needs to be restricted until communities can keep up with the population growth. Immigrants perform many important roles in society such as working low wage jobs to keep prices low and sharing cultural diversity with others. Until immigration is controlled, immigrants and native born Americans need to learn to live in their current situations the best way that they can. 32 e
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