Free Government And Public Perspective Essay Sample

Illegal Immigrant Social Issues –

Illegal Immigrant Social Issues –

Introduction

The ongoing debate over the ways to handle the millions of undocumented immigrants in America has both public and political perspectives. Depending on the person and the political affiliation these perspectives offer different opinions and suggested solutions (Arizona Government, 2012-2015; Camarota, 2004; Rand Corporation, 2010; Seglett, Vina & Ester, 2004; Skerry, 2013; Reuters, 2014; and, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, 2013.). The existing laws on illegal immigration stand as the bottom line for the official government position for many Americans (Reuters, 2014), while others align with the position of President Obama granting immunity to the millions of illegal immigrants considered tax paying contributors to the economy filling employment niches other Americans refuse to consider and making their own way in America particularly those seeking political asylum (U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service, 2013; Camarota, 2004). The following scholastic investigation, assessment, and report covers the legal aspects, both sides of the American voter and political view, and the Obama Administration proposal to allow millions of undocumented according to certain provisions amnesty and the opportunity for attaining a legal status for residency in the U.S.

American Voters vs. Federal Jurisdiction

Viewed as a constantly evolving area of the law where states’ vote legislation about illegal immigrants come under scrutiny of the Federal jurisdiction, cases in both Arizona and Indiana challenge he 14th Amendment provisioning automatic citizenship for those born on American soil. The states’ laws challenge the 14th Amendment saying interpretation demands a narrower view of the accepted interpretation. At the same time, most of the 50 states have laws affecting immigration facing challenges through immigrant rights and civil liberty unions challenging them in the courts. These typically occur in areas where law enforcement may use racial profiling to stop “suspicious” looking people for their papers while states requiring photo ID for voting directly violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act (Arizona Government, 2012-2015; Reuters, 2014).

The Perpetuated Myths

The idea all undocumented immigrants seek safety and economic security in America is as wrong as it is believing all of them commit harmful criminal acts or they are all using public services as marginalized people living clandestine lives on the border of society. Both of these perspectives are false. The fact remains the majority of undocumented immigrants do so after making difficult choices based on risky and complicated decisions matching their environments that in part every American contributes and therefore takes some blame (Skerry, 2013).

The Obama Administration Proposition

The Obama administration proposed allowing illegal immigrants who are parents of children with legal status to remain in the U.S. for three years without the chance of deportation under specific guidelines. These guidelines include passing a background check and they have lived a minimum of five years in America. Responses to this vary. A study by the Rand Corporation (2010) shows there are many that continue believing the issue of the illegal immigration demands the assistance at the state level despite the incidences on legal books challenging the existing state laws on undocumented immigration as un-Constitutional.
Findings of researchers on this social issue contend national policymakers for the most pragmatic approach must focus more research and adept analysis. This research should focus on such questions as whether the federal government has the ability for enforcing effective immigration laws as they exist or any proposed changes such as that of the Obama administration can occur without state and local support. Further, another research consideration and analysis as to whether immigration enforcement forms local agency's primary mission, and whether conducting immigration enforcement is possible while minimizing racial bias or racial profiling behavior by the policing bodies (Rand Corporation, 2010).

Conclusion

As posited in the introduction the ongoing debate over the ways to handle the millions of undocumented immigrants in America has both public and political perspectives. This academic endeavor pinpointed the legal repercussions arising from states’ of voting into law specific legislation directed at the non-documented immigrant issue claiming these law un-Constitutional. Media perpetuation of myths, studies showing more research needed, and the reaction to the Obama Administration policy for undocumented immigration reform only succeeds fueling the debate. The existing laws remain at present the means for addressing the undocumented immigrant predicament manifested as one of the 21st century top social issues in America.

References

Arizona Government. (2012-2015). Gang & immigration enforcement; gang prevention. Retrieved from Arizona Department of Public Safety: http://www.azdps.gov/Services/Gang_Enforcement/Immigration/
Camarota, S. (2004). The high cost of cheap labor; illegal immigration and the federal budget. Retrieved from Center for Immigration Studies: http://cis.org/High-Cost-of-Cheap-Labor
RAND Corporation. (2010, April 29). Enforcement of Federal immigration laws at the state and local levels. Retrieved from RAND: http://www.rand.org/news/press/2010/04/29.html
Seglett, L. M., Vina, S. R., & Ester, K. (2004, March 11). CRS Report for Congress; should state or local governments enforce Federal immigration laws? Retrieved from ProCon: http://immigration.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000800
Skerry, P. (2013). Splitting the difference on illegal immigration. Retrieved from National Affairs: http://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/splitting-the-difference-on-illegal-immigration
Thomson Reuters. (2014). Federal vs. State immigration laws. Retrieved from FindLaw: http://immigration.findlaw.com/immigration-laws-and-resources/federal-vs-state-immigration-laws.html
U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services. (2013.). Immigration and nationality act. Retrieved February 5, 2015, from USCIS: http://www.uscis.gov/iframe/ilink/docView/SLB/HTML/SLB/act.html