Legal Immigration
Introduction
Most stable Nations with a vast growing economy are home to scores of immigrants from different parts of the world. Of note is that these immigrants move to these nations either legally or illegally. There are some who immigrate in search of greener pastures in terms of employment opportunities while others hold genuine reason search as lack of peace in their countries due to war and food crisis (Solano-Garcia, 342). However, others just want to be parasites to their host countries. Legal immigration is a national interest of most States due to the fact that it promotes advantages of immigration and at the same prevents potential damages to a country and more importantly to the citizens.
With legal immigration, immigrant’s shares equal rights with native citizens in terms of nation building, employment opportunities as well as legal protection. On the contrary, legal immigration poses a great danger to a Nation’s security and welfare due swift entry of people in a given State. This creates congestion in the host country thereby imposing instantaneous net costs health care and education while at the same time increases social crimes (Gordon, 190). Nevertheless, legal immigration is beneficial as it helps in strengthening the host countries economic while offering leadership in humanitarian and international affairs (Denver, 2) . New opportunities in the job market are created while these legal immigrants share their creativity and knowledge with Natives leading to restoration of neighborhoods. Despite, challenges of legal migration, it offers scientific, cultural. Social, political and economic benefits
It is suggested that legal migration reinforces political and economical ties with other states thereby enhancing the capacities of the host countries to enter into competition in the worldwide economy. Legal immigration also enhances international relations and establishes long lasting relations between states. States should try to regulate immigration due to the fact that legal immigration offers artistic, literary, cultural and scientific resources (Anderson, 7). When two cultures mingle, they are free to engage in constructive activities which promote multicultural diversity which eventually leads to sharing of important aspects which enhances livelihood and general nation building (Olivas, 2) . Knowledge regarding essentials facets in life is freely shared while family ties and values, strong communities are enhanced. It is important to note that without integration of people from all walks of life, creativity, job opportunities and business ventures to other nations would be minimized hence unstable economies.
Notably, legal immigration reduces ethnic contention. This is made possible through a productive immigration policy which helps in demonstrating that ethnic and religious diversity are attuned with countrywide civic unanimity in a country that enjoys democracy.
However, it has been noted that legal migration creates stiff competition between immigrants and native citizens in terms of job opportunities and particularly public services. The most affected groups in this case are native citizens who are unemployed. Despite the issue of competition in the job markets, legal migration brings into a given society social changes which leads to social, political and economic gains especially in situations where economic requirements are used as fundamental factor in conscription of immigrants. Countries facing shortage of labor benefit from legal immigration.
In addition, an efficient immigration policy assists in promoting border security leaving the government with little security issues to worry about hence political and social stability. It is eminent that border security issues are faced by countries which do not have a legal system that supports legal immigration. However, due to the so many issues which include, food crisis, wars as well as economic problems faced by other countries, countries with no immigration policies are always faced with illegal immigration which threatens border security as well as the security of the entire nation. In this regard, it is therefore important that States embraces a logical legal migration policy in order to avoid security and social issues.
With legal immigration a more energetic labor forced is realized. It is essential to note that young people are the backbone of the society and their contribution to a country’s economy is enormous. Younger immigrants bring in their skills and knowledge into force hence leading to better services. Research has it that over 20% of doctors in United States are not Native American but rather comprises doctors from India, China to mention but a few (Kenji, 3). They entrance in the country has been made possible through legal immigration policies. This is a clear indication that legal immigration brings more benefits to the society and to the individuals as well
Results from several studies indicate that immigrants raise the population growth of a particular State with an example of United States’ population growth which has evidently been prompted by immigration (Rector, 10). While population growth has both negative and positive effects, it is important to note that a higher population growth leads to a more productive Nation hence economic stability. High population has also enhanced the education systems whereby diversity programs have been established.
Legal immigration strives to promote positive chances in a given State while preventing potential harms to the country and its citizens. It brings cheap labor and cultural values which are educational (Welfare, U.S, 1). Additionally, legal migration offers shared commitment to democracy and liberty. It occurs that immigration is only made legal under the following bases; they include employment, family unification, education and more importantly admission of refugees (Manson, 54). Legal immigration helps the immigration officers in determining the goals of any immigration thereby ensuring that no person with ill-motive is admitted in a country. It also helps in cutting back on illegal immigration which is experienced in countries where legal migration is not permitted.
For immigrants, it is more preferable to engage in legal immigration as opposed to illegal immigration. This is because legal and genuine immigrants enjoy more benefits that those who enter a country through back door. Illegal immigrants do not enjoy legal protection, formal job opportunities and they always live in fear (Murdock, 209). Illegal immigrants also do not enjoy their freedom. On the contrary, with legal immigration immigrants are shares equal benefits and rights as Natives and they are legally recognized and protected by law.
Conclusion
It has been realized that legal immigrants unlike illegal immigrants do not interrupt social unity; neither do they alter the culture of a particular state. Instead, they adapt to the culture of their host countries and enrich it through cultural diversity (Geigenberger, 3) . With legal migration, a restraint work ethnic alongside inclination towards free enterprise is realized. Legal immigrants as opposed to illegal immigrants enjoy mind independence as well as personal liberty. With these two aspects, legal immigrants are able to enrich their host country with social, political, economic, scientific and cultural gains.
Work Cited
Denver Post. Interview: A conversation with Boulder immigration lawyer Christina A. Fiflis Retrieved June 10, 2011 from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:iUUuZRMp5n4J:www.denv erpost.com/immigration/ci_5878073+interview+on+benefits+of+legal+immigration& cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&source=www.google.com
Hanson, Gordon. The governance of migration. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 2010. 11(2), 185-207
Immigration, Welfare, U.S. Poverty, Cities. Should legal immigrants receive public benefits. Retrieved June 10, 2011 from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rmoW5lTXMiQJ:www.broo kings.edu/events/2002/0228immigration.aspx+interview+on+benefits+of+legal+immi gration&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&source=www.google.com
Julia Geigenberger. The lasting value legal immigration for the United States of America. New York: GRIN Verlag, 2008
Kondoh, Kenji. International immigration and economic welfare in an efficiency wage model: The co-existence case of both legal and illegal foreign workers. Pacific Economic Review, 2004,9(1), 1-12
Lakeisha Porter. Illegal immigrants should not receive social services. Journal of International social science review. London: Springer, 2006.VOl.81, Issue 1/2 p 60 -72
Legalcitizens.org. Legal immigration is good for America legal migration works for America. Retrieved 10 June, 2011 from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Jt7Oig1jF4YJ:www.scribd.c om/doc/458835/Legal-Immigration-Is-Good-For- America+benefits+of+legal+immigration&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&source=www.goo gle.com
LH Fujiwara. Immigrant Rights Are Human Rights: The Reframing of Immigrant Entitlement and Welfare. Oregon: University of Oregon, 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2011 from http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/socpr ob52&div=10&id=&page=
Michael A. Olivas. Immigration-related state and local ordinances: Preemption, prejudice, and the proper role for enforcement. 2007 U.Chi. Legal F. 27 (2007) .Retrieved June 11, 2011 from http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/uchcl f2007&div=4&id=&page=
Murdock, Steve. The potential effects of legal and unauthorized international migration on the census and other data sources in the uNited State: Methodological and policy issues in 2010 and beyond. Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, 2006, 31(3-4), 207- 20
Richey, Manson. Towards a non-positivists approach to cosmopolitan immigration: A critique of the inclusion/ exclusion dialectic and an analysis of selected European(Im) Migration policies. Journal of International and Area Studies, 2010, 17(1), 55-74
Robert Rector. The fiscal cost of low-skill immigrants to the U.S. taxpayer. Testimony before the subcommittee on immigration committee on the judiciary United States house of representatives. Heritage Foundation. 214 Massachusetts Ave. N.E Washington D.C. 2010 (202) 546-4400. Retrieved June 11, 2011 from http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/May2007/Rector070501.pdf
Solano-Garcia, Angel. Legal or illegal? Preferences on immigration. International Journal of Social Welfare, 2009, 18(4),395-406
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Appendix
Interviews on Legal Migrations
The first interview involved the interviewing of a legal immigrant named x
Interviewer (Me): How does it feel to be recognized as a legal immigrant?
X: it feels great to have to pursue the American Dream with no limitations as to what you can or cannot do?
Interviewer (Me): have you ever been an illegal immigrant in the country or did you just legally get to be an American Citizen.
X: I have never been an illegal immigrant but I have dozens of my friends who are illegally living in the country. I applied for a green card while still living in Mexico hoping that I would finally receive it and miraculously it happened like so.
Interviewer (Me): basing your facts on cases that your friends, who as you have stated are illegal immigrant, may have narrated to you, do you think that there is a substantial difference between being a legal or an illegal immigrant, besides breaking the law?
X: there is a large rift between illegal immigrants and legal immigrants. The illegal immigrants are not free people and thus they have to be cautious of their every move. For the legal immigrants, freedom is at their disposal. The only disadvantage of being an immigrant is the risk of being deported. That is the only fear that I have to deal with as compared to illegal immigrants who are not only breaking the law but also living in fear and caution.
The second interview is to Mr. 123 who is an American law abiding citizen
Interviewer (Me): what is your usual view on immigrants?
Mr. 123: immigrants are of two main types, the legal immigrants and the illegal immigrants. However, since there have been numerous cases of illegal immigration into the country, majority of the people will mistake any immigrant as a fugitive regardless of their citizenship, particularly if they are Mexicans.
Interviewer (Me): are the immigrants, preferably the legal ones, of any benefit to you as an individual.
Mr. 123: being a diverse man, majority of my friends were not born or raised in our country. They have immigrated into the country in search of better lives and thus I believes that majority of the immigrants are some of the most hardworking people in the country. Their contribution to the economy is remarkably astonishing. However, a great percentage of the immigrants, particularly the illegal ones, are the highest criminal offenders in the country. This may be as a result of lack of opportunities in the current economy.
Interviewer (Me): do you belief that there should be improvements in the laws that concern the immigration and the immigrants.
Mr. 123: majority of the illegal immigrants cause social problems and crime and thus the laws should be made a bit stricter to curb these incidences. For the legal immigrants however, it is crucial that they are treated as equals to the rest of the citizens. Some of the people discriminate against these immigrants due to the existing prejudice against illegal immigrants. The government should employ better ways and laws to protect them.
The third interview was conducted in an immigrations office, where one lady working as an official was interviewed.
Interviewer (Me): how can you describe the current immigration system and operations in the country?
ABC: the reception of new immigrants has currently improved as compared to long time ago.
Interviewer (Me): why do you say so?
ABC: the reception by the public is one of the reasons as to why I believe that this is the case. The reduction in the discrimination against people from divergent cultures has been every essential in improving the manner in which the immigrants are served in an office such as this as well as the manner in which the public receives them. This was not the case several years ago.
Interviewer (Me): but why are the illegal immigrants discriminated against, not only by the government but by the other citizens too?
ABC: I believe that the illegal immigrants have brought this on themselves. Illegal immigration in the first place is an obstruction of the law. This has created the notion that all illegal immigrants in the country are law breakers. Being so, they are always associated with dirty and unlawful acts such as prostitution, crime, drug dealing and other unpleasant titles. In a number of instances, the illegal immigrants fit this description and thus I believe that it is through their own lifestyles that they have been discriminated against. They should not be in the country in the first place.
Interviewer (Me): what are the latest developments in the immigrations office and department?
ABC: the immigrations reform push by majority of the policy makers. Some of the states have modified their immigration laws and thus developed better means to tackle a number of problems that are associated illegal immigrations. Arizona is one such state. For legal immigrations, the procedures too have been reviewed and simplified so as to save time and efforts used in applying for citizenship in the country. This has been of undying assistance in the registry of new immigrants into the nation. This is also a move aimed at legalizing a number of immigrants. It has been sufficient too in implementing its role.
