Introduction
Undocumented immigrants are people who gain access to the United States without fulfilling all the legal requirements (Martin & Midgley, 2003). To some people, immigration, legal or illegal, creates an opportunity for the United States to receive fresh ideas that can help in building the nation. There are, however, concerns about the effect that immigration has on the well being of the American people. Incidents such as the September 11th attack have given most Americans a reason to fear the repercussions of opening doors to immigrants. Many are left wondering whether the arrival of immigrants should be encouraged by the United States (Martin & Midgley, 2003).
This paper presents an argument against granting amnesty and green cards to undocumented workers in order to legalize their stay in the United States. Efforts should be made to arrest and deport undocumented workers to their home countries, with no chance of returning to the United States. Moreover, any employer found guilty of employing undocumented workers should be made to pay a substantial fine for each undocumented worker.
Arguments against Granting Amnesty and Green Cards
The move to reform the United States policy on immigration has split legislators into two opposing groups. On one hand are those who are convinced that the US government should have a policy that grants citizenship to undocumented workers while on the opposite end are those who contend that the move will give an unfair advantage to unlawful immigrants. RCC (2009) strongly argued that the United States should control movement of aliens into the country no matter what the cost would be. Suggestions include guarding various entry points into the country and thoroughly screening immigrants before letting them in. Apparently, this is meant to drastically lessen the number of immigrants.
For a number of reasons, Americans stand to lose greatly by granting amnesty and green cards to undocumented workers. First, illegal immigrants often come in through unlawful means, and as such understanding their motive is a big challenge. Given the increased rate of crime and terrorist activities globally, it is imperative for the government to implement a strict policy to monitor the movement of immigrants into the US. Secondly, undocumented workers are likely to be involved in illegal activities that deny the government a revenue channel. Often, undocumented workers use any means possible, lawful or otherwise, to earn a living. Some become violent robbers, while others engage in activities that interfere with the government’s efforts to stabilize the nation.
Third, immigrants are at times accused of taking up jobs meant for Natives. Scores of Americans are afraid that the American population will continue to grow uncontrollably as a result of undocumented workers flocking into the country. By September 2010, it is alleged that the population of immigrants stood at 12 percent more than that of Native Americans (Greenstone & Looney, 2010). This being the case, many Americans advocate for a drastic reduction of both legal and illegal immigrants.
Conclusion
Certainly, the intention to grant amnesty and green cards to undocumented workers should not be encouraged. Beyond doubt, the move will cause greater harm than good to the American people and the nation at large. Among other things, criminal activities will rise, revenue will be lost, and competition for existing job opportunities will increase. It is for these and many other reasons that the United States government should oppose the idea of granting legal status to undocumented workers.
References
Greenstone, M. & Looney, A. (2010). Ten Economic Facts about Immigration. Web.
Martin, P. & Midgley, E. (2003). Immigration: Shaping and Reshaping America. Population Bulletin, 58 (2): 1 – 48.
RCC Honors History (RCC). (2009). For Immigration Restrictions, Henry Cabot Lodge. Web.