Introduction
The number of immigrants into the United States of America has been increasing over the years. It is estimated that around 1.2 million people immigrate into America each year (Jacoby 509). Due to the proximity of Mexico to the United States, Mexicans form the largest group of immigrants in America.
However, due to the policies that have been implemented to regulate immigration, not everybody is able to access the visa that will enable them to settle in the U.S. Consequently, many people have resulted to illegal immigration through the sea and some through the porous borders especially the Mexican border.
It is important to note that immigrants exert a lot of pressure not only on the national budget, but also on various social amenities. In the quest to deal with the problem of illegal immigration, many proposals have been forwarded including an amnesty program. Nevertheless, the effects of an amnesty program have not been fully addressed.
Advantages of an Amnesty Program
To begin with, an amnesty program will help in avoiding the movement of experts from America to other countries. Since most of the young people have been educated in the United States of America, it will be prudent to let them use the skills they have gained to build our economy.
Educating people consumes national resources and sending these people away will be tantamount to wastage of resources (Rosenblum, Clare, William and Ruth 33). On the same note, sending all the illegal immigrants out of America is practically impossible because some of the people who have been deported have declared that they will try to come back (Passel, D’Vera and Ana par 2). Therefore, an amnesty program will give people an opportunity of securing jobs and thus reducing crime rates.
Similarly, immigrants dominate the hard and dirty labor where Native Americans are unwilling to work in. An amnesty program will enable this sector to continue having the crucial labor that is required. Moreover, America needs people who will take up the dirty manual jobs that natives are unwilling to accept. On the same note, immigrants are ready to get assimilated and an amnesty program will be very crucial in achieving this.
It is important to note that this will help in reducing the ethnic tension in society (Douthat and Jenny 54). In addition, immigrants come with the aim of working. They know that their income directly depends on their hard work (Jacoby 511). Unfortunately, they find it hard to get jobs especially if they are illegal. Amnesty program will enhance their chances of getting better paying jobs thus increasing their contribution to the economy.
Disadvantages
The numbers of immigrants especially from Mexico have reduced in the recent years partly due to the difficult economical conditions in America as well as increased deportations (Passel, D’Vera and Ana par 2). However, an amnesty program will send a message that the situation may change in the future thus encouraging immigration. As a result, amnesty will actually be against the government aim of reducing immigration.
The program that offered amnesty to some illegal immigrants in 1986 is a good example (Rosenblum, Clare, William and Ruth 33). Moreover, amnesty will give powers to immigrants who will then dominate entrepreneurship. It should be noted that the number of immigrants in each sector of the economy is drastically increasing (Jacoby 510). Sooner or later, immigrants will be giving natives unfavorable competition.
Personal Position
It is important to note that illegal immigration cannot be dealt with by implementing an amnesty program. The problem of low incomes and lack of unemployment will exist even after amnesty. In this regard, claiming that an amnesty program will in any way reduce criminal activities perpetrated by illegal immigrants is a lie.
There are other ways through which the problem of illegal immigration can be dealt with including enhancing border security. Amnesty will just give illegal immigrants hopes that even if they suffer for long, one day the government will give them citizenship. Let us face the reality; amnesty will not solve the problem of illegal immigration. Therefore, amnesty should not even be a question of discussion. It should just be abolished from possible solutions of illegal immigration.
Conclusion
It is in every human being’s mind to advance economically. People everywhere in the world are always waiting for the slightest opportunity to better their lives. It is important to note that given the difference in economic capability of various countries, people will always be willing to move to developed countries where they believe opportunities of advancement are many.
Given the fact that America has highly developed infrastructure, enhanced education system as well as quality health care, many people are fighting for visas to enable them settle there. Much as illegal immigration is a problem in America, rushing to come up with a solution might not be the right way to go about it. The idea of an amnesty program should be well investigated before any step is taken.
Works Cited
Douthat, Ross and Jenny Woodson. “The Border.” The Atlantic Monthly 297.1 (2006): 54-55. Print.
Jacoby, Tamar. “The New Immigrants and the Issue of Assimilation.” The aims of argument: Text and reader. Eds. Timothy Crusius, and Carolyn Channell. New York: McGraw-Hill Educational, 2010. 509-514. Print.
Passel, Jeffrey, D’Vera Cohn and Ana Gonzalez-Barrera. “Net Migration from Mexico Falls to Zero and Perhaps Less. Pew Research Hispanic Center, 2012. Web. <https://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/23/net-migration-from-mexico-falls-to-zero-and-perhaps-less/>.
RosenBlum, Marc R., Clare Ribando Seelke, William A. Kandel and Ruth Ellen Wasem. Mexican Migration to the United States: Policy and Trends. Washington: Congressional Research Service, 2012. Web. <https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R42560.pdf>.