The U.S. Must Reform Immigration

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During the 1800’s, in order to help the United States occupy its vacant lands, America promoted immigration. This act would not only help populate isolated areas, but would bring diversity to the United States. As the population grew states began to pass their own immigration laws prompting the Supreme Court in 1875 to declare the regulation of immigration a federal responsibility. From 1900 to 1920, an estimated 24 million immigrants came to America, symbolizing what was known as the Great Wave. With a need to bring balance to the number of immigrants arriving in the United States the Immigration Service was established. The next year Congress launched the National Origin Quota System, which limited immigrants to a quota based on their nationalities past census figures. When you look at the many contributions immigrants have made in America, you can see how not only our country is ethnically beautiful, but profoundly rich in cultural differences. It’s wonderful to be a part of a community full of different faces, languages and traditions. The United States should not stop immigration, but rather rework and amend the regulations and enforcement portions of the Act to make it more robust and comprehensive in a way that the United States government, businesses and its citizens benefit from the relationship economically and in ways that will help strengthen our global competitiveness.

Due to immigrants contributing a staggering 2.25 million people to the United States population, Americans have begun to feel the pressure to conform to a very different lifestyle. Many immigrants are not fluent in English, do not have access to adequate healthcare, have a desperate need for sound education, and require the assistance of social service...

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...pected, the ability to take care of self and family, and to live comfortably without repercussions or harm. With this in mind, if the government would appropriately fund the department of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, so that we not only have an efficient number of agents, but adequate resources and equipment to effectively accomplish the job. Refining and a more streamlined approach to processing backlogged and current applications will need to be in place immediately in order this all to come together. Mending the actual Act itself will have to be a group effort, with ideas and support from Congress and the White House. We need to begin to hold persons accountable for any and all lackadaisical attitudes when it comes to upholding the law and the work ethics it takes. Crack down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants and hold them justly accountable.

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