Immigration is an important subject for Americans, even if they cannot always agree on the specifics. America is the land of the free, respite for the huddled masses. Give me your poor beckons the Statue of Liberty, and they come. They come unceasingly, unendingly, to gather at her feet. America is beautiful, a dream, a release from bondage for many. They love her, and pledge allegiance to her.
America is not just a country bordered by water on two sides, not just a series of interconnected states on a map. America is an idea.
Amnesty of Illegal Immigrants in America
Amnesty as it applies to illegal immigration refers to the blanket pardon given to illegal immigrants releasing them from punishment for their crime. In 1986, Ronald Regan passed a one time amnesty bill. Heather MacDonald of the City Journal writes in her article Amnesty Lessons that “… the European experience with amnesty repeats the U.S. one. Following the 1986 American amnesty, illegal Mexican immigration surged several fold.” Amnesty does not solve illegal immigration problems, and actually exacerbates the problem as more illegals flood the border hoping for the same treatment. Seven more amnesty bills have been passed by Congress since that first 1986 bill.
Numbers USA estimates that 8 to 11 million illegal immigrants currently reside in the U.S. Other agencies estimate the number to be as high as 20 million. In an article titled Illegal Immigration Undermines U.S , Numbers USA claims that “a country that cannot keep illegal immigration to a low level quickly ceases to be a real country, or a real community.” Instead of citizens voicing opinions influencing policy, citizens of other countries, who have gained entry illegally, begin to shape the destiny of America.
Assimilation of Immigrants in America
Princeton defines assimilation as a social process in which one cultural group is absorbed into another and individuals from different backgrounds begin to view “themselves as part of a larger national family.” Assimilation is a necessary process that transforms an immigrant into an American.
Legal immigration is accomplished through obtaining a Green Card or through naturalization. A Green Card is granted for a period of 10 years, and 55,000 individuals are issued a Green Card each year through a lottery. Additional Green Cards are issued based on employment or through a relative. A Green Card can be issued as permanent or conditional.
Naturalization is the process by which a Green Card holder becomes a U.S. Citizen. Naturalization requires a continuous residence in the United States, the ability to read, write, and speak English, good moral character as evidenced by a lack of criminal record, knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, a favorable view of the United States, and the ability to pass the Citizenship Test.
The process of legal immigration into the United States allows the immigrant time to assimilate. The country, the laws and procedures of the nation, are academic, but the idea of America is intangible. Freedom of thought and religion, entrepreneurship, and the spirit of individualism that founded this country take more time to fully understand. Illegal immigration does not allow for the assimilation of the immigrant so that he can fully appreciate and understand all that America offers.
Amnesty is unfair to the thousands of hopeful immigrants patiently waiting to enter the country legally, and assimilation is essential to maintain the American way of life. The Arizona SB 1070, the so-called anti-immigration bill, does nothing the federal law does not already do. Even under threat of boycotts, several states are considering following Arizona's lead.
Chasity Goddard - Chasity Goddard holds a BA degree from the University of TN. Her wide-ranging interests and research skills pull her in various ...
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