Immigration Issues

Over the years the United States has been called a nation of immigrants. The fact that America is a melting pot for so many different cultures, races, and religions makes it unique in the world. The newcomers, both legal and illegal, fill labor shortages and provide new business opportunities. History shows they also bring ideas, vigor, and ambition. However, rising immigrant numbers and messy immigration policies have become a serious problem to gain control of. Although immigrants have contributed to America, the government should reform current immigration policies and limit immigrants flow today because of the economics and the large population problem. Kofi Annan in her lecture on "International Flows of Humanity" states that we must approach the issues of immigration with the strong ethical compass. Jagdish Bhagwati asserts that while changing immigration policies we should seek benefits for all. I disagree with both of them. American government should first of all seek benefits for native citizens and local economy; and there is no place for "ethical compass" in effective immigration policies that will benefit the economy and citizens. The new immigrants have caused economic problems in America today. Each decade of new immigrants has done worse than the last economically. According to a study released by the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, "The education levels of newly arriving immigrants have not kept pace with those of native-born Americans. As careers that require advanced education continue to drive the job market, it is no surprise that many immigrants are finding it increasingly difficult to join the economic mainstream" (Camarota). The results of the lower education ripple effect do not bode well for recent immigrants. "Those who arrived in the 1980's have remained at an economic disadvantage, and are still less likely to own homes or become citizens than the immigrants of the previous three decades," says the study