Immigration a necessary evil?

It is ironic that immigration is still a topic of debate in the United States, especially since “U.S. economic pressures play a major role in Latin American migration (Rodriguez 1).” The U.S. was a key reason as to why immigration started and why it is still around. The creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was a way that the U.S. indirectly encouraged immigration. NAFTA caused many small business owners to lose their businesses. In   the article, How US Policies Fueled Mexico's Great Migration, Robert Ortega, a small-scale butcher, loses his source of income in Mexico because of NAFTA and its policy that “opened up Mexican markets to massive pork imports from U.S. companies like Smithfield Foods (Bacon 1).” NAFTA destroyed the job market for farmers but highly reduced the price of food products, such as corn, meat, etc. The price reduction was so great that many small-scale butchers had lost their source of income, just like Ortega. The damaged caused by NAFTA did not only effect butchers but many farmers as well as small-scale workers in desperate need of work. Therefore, many of them migrated to the United States looking for work that they lost. Many immigrants were able to find work in the U.S. but a very low pay.

NAFTA overall was a selfish move for the U.S. to succeed economically. Through the creation of NAFTA the U.S. was able to get the cheap labor they needed to boost their economy by opening up trade. Which made prices decline greatly, causing small businesses to shut down. Companies, like Smithfield, were able to take advantage of NAFTA by importing different kinds of products and buying agricultural land. In my opinion, the U.S. did not care about Mexico’s economy. While the U.S. economy was flourishing, Mexico’s was kept declining. The declining of Mexico’s economy drove out many Mexicans from their homes. In addition, poverty spread like a wild fire in Mexico. Upon arriving and working in the U.S., work conditions in the factories were horrific and companies had a lot of power over the people; they could be easily replaced if need to. 

It was a double edge sword when Smithfield was shut down in the United States. The benefit was that it stopped massive population but the downside was the the company ended up moving to Mexico. Again Mexico was being exploited, just like how they were exploited by the U.S. for cheap labor. Instead, they get the pollution the U.S. once had and it made it very difficult for people in Mexico. In , How US Policies Fueled Mexico's Great Migration, a local farmer, Fausto Limon described the effects of the population. He talked about how he would have to drive his family, in the middle of the night, far enough not to smell the population because it caused his family sickness. This is very upsetting because the U.S. only looks out for its own interest. They took advantage of NAFTA in many ways and Mexico pays for it. The U.S. should have a way to “pay back” for what they have done or help fellow countries they indirectly put down. 

Sources:

http://www.thenation.com/article/165438/how-us-policies-fueled-mexicos-great-migration#

http://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/north-american-free-trade-agreement-nafta

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3045301084.html

http://www.philebrity.com/2010/05/26/immigration-reform-supporters-rallying-at-independence-hall/

Dream Big

For years immigration reform has been on the backburner in the United States, until just recently. Thanks to The Dreamers, all eyes have been on the House of Representatives as we await their decision to pass a new immigration reform. The Dreamers are a group of undocumented students who have been brought to the United States typically at a young age who are trying to further their education but can't due to their legal status. This group of brave young men and women were able to pressure the government enough to make changes on their legal status. Although not all of the dreamers have been able to change their legal status completely, they were still able to apply for citizenship as well as obtain their driver’s license. But this is just the beginning.

                 Hispanics have been arriving illegally to the United States for a very long time now due to several reasons. For centuries, the United States has influenced Hispanic migration due to economic reasons and employment. After occupying most of Latin America's resources and influencing multiple economic downfalls, it was evident that Latinos had to migrate elsewhere. The US was very strategic about their influence. Cheap labor and unlimited workers were something the United States would continue to benefit from for years. Mexico, for example, had US involvement for a very long time and is responsible for the “push and pull” factors that constantly bring Mexicans up north. There’s no need to question why so many Latinos have migrated north, the United States brought them here.

                But what happens when those Latinos have been here for 10, 15, 20 years and they've grown to consider the United States their home? Just like the Dreamers, many immigrants want to better themselves, their jobs, and their opportunities for themselves and their families. When the Dream Act was signed, it was a big deal for immigrants all over the country. Many families stopped being scared of deportation; they felt their voices could be heard.   

                Thousands of people, all from different race and backgrounds have been marching and fighting for a new immigration reform. “It’s good for our economy, it’s good for our security, it’s good for our people and we should do it this year,” President Obama said about the new immigration reform. President Obama once again asked the House of Representatives for a vote this year. The United States is heading in the right direction with a new immigration reform, now all we have to do is wait. Thanks to the Dreamers, the Latino voice is no longer silent. The Dream act was just a beginning.

 Immigration back in spotlight

Obama push for vote from House of Representatives

Undocumented Youth Block Deportation Bus -photo

Everyone has the Right to Dream

Christina Giles

Z1674507

ILAS 100

ICE is the immigration and customs enforcement and their mission is to promote homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration. Everyday people are getting deported back to their country of original birth land.  Not only does this affect the adults because they lose their jobs and the income that they were making here in the United States, but it also affects their kids.

Children and young adults are going to school to better their education. Deporting students that are enrolled in school just because they don’t have a paper that says US citizen or resident is not a legitimate reason to take the opportunity away from these students. Students are in school to better their lives, get a job that pays them a decent amount of money, and at the end of the day it is also making them intelligent.

 Thanks to the federal policy of DACA, which stands for deferred action for child arrivals, allows young unauthorized immigrants who are low enforcement priorities to remain in the country temporarily. Students should not be taken away their dreams because he or she is illegal.

Deferred action means that it can be granted to individuals who are in removal proceedings. Those who are in the deferred action status can apply for an employment authorization. Although it may sound easy to get into this DACA process it has many requirements. Some of the requirements include: being under 31 years of age as of June 15, 2012, came to the U.S. while under the age of 16, have continuously resided in the U.S. from June 15, 2007 to the present that are currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a GED, or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or armed forces, and have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor, or more than three misdemeanors and do not pose a threat to national security or public safety.

            I believe that Latino’s are migrating to the United States to better their lives. No Latino has an intention to come to the US to be lazy, go to jail, or not do anything to improve their lives. If that was the case Latinos would not migrate to the Unites States. The big misconception of allow immigrants to work is that they are taking their jobs. I believe that Latino’s are the most hard-working people in the United States because they know how valuable having their job can be. Their intentions are to help their families, to better their lives and their children’s lives. In order to help better their children’s lives, the parents put their children in school.

            The United States is only a few of many countries that require child education. I personally cannot relate to this topic, but I believe that students that want to enhance their education should be able to go to school. What many people do not see is that these innocent children did not have a choice to decide to come to United States their parents or family members brought them here. These children and young adults also have dreams of achieving success. Everyone should have the right to obtain a dream they can accomplish.

 http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/308/

http://immigrationequality.org/issues/immigration-basics/daca/