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Note: this paper was graded Excellent in all respects.

Immigration Policy

The issue of Illegal immigration policy and undocumented workers is extremely

controversial in this country. Our individual opinions vary greatly; so many politicians have used

it as a wedge issue while campaigning. The Free Dictionary.com defines a wedge issue as a

sharply divisive political issue, especially one that is raised by a candidate or party in hopes of

attracting or disaffecting a portion of an opponent's customary supporters. I have taken a

particular interest in this subject since I began to study the Spanish language. Unfortunately, this

issue often has a Mexican or Latino face. The recent backlash that Latino illegal aliens have

received, the outpouring of racist campaign ads that have been airing and discriminatory

legislature that has been passed has caused me to have great concern. The climate surrounding

this debate has turned so ugly lately and I felt compelled to turn the microscope onto this issue

for myself.

Whether you support amnesty for illegal aliens or whether you believe that our current

policy is too relaxed, there are a few facts that cannot be ignored. Several big businesses,

construction companies, agriculturists, and employers in many service industries contend that the

absence of immigrant workers would cause a major catastrophe in the U.S. economy. These

groups, specifically, refer to the absence of the unauthorized workforce (Caulfield, 2006).

Undocumented workers are estimated to fill 25% of all agricultural, 17% of office and house

cleaning, 14% of construction, and 12% of food preparation jobs. Estimates suggest that about

850,000 unauthorized immigrants enter the U.S. annually, and have done so since 1990, for a

total of close to 12 million (Passel, 2006) or even 2b0 million (Knickerbocker, 2006). These
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undocumented workers would not have the drive to travel across our borders if there was not a

market for their services. Often times the focus is placed on the workers only and we never really

acknowledge the role of the companies who hire these workers every day. Despite the recent bill

passed by the Senate that focuses on unauthorized immigrants in the United States, despite

concerns about illegal workers, and in spite of the fact that those most specifically targeted are

Mexican immigrants, the United States is severely divided about their presence. Border

enforcement has been heightened since 1990, and policy makers are aware that most migrants

come to work, yet workplace enforcement has low priority. In 1999, the Immigration and

Naturalization Service devoted 9% of its personnel to scouring the workplace; that percentage

decreased in 2006 to 4% (Portes, 2006). In 2004, only three companies received penalty notices,

down from 417 in 1999 under the Bush Administration. Obama administration has quietly begun

implementing a new immigration strategy that targets employers who hire illegal immigrants

(Employers Face Stringent Penalties for Knowingly Hiring Illegal Immigrants, 2010)

The debate over this issue complex and with over 10 million undocumented immigrants

in the US (as of 2009), the issue of illegal immigration continues to divide Americans. Some

people say that illegal immigration benefits the US economy through additional tax revenue,

expansion of the low-cost labor pool, and increased money in circulation ("What Are the

Solutions to Illegal Immigration in America?, 2010). They contend that immigrants bring good

values, have motivations consistent with the American dream, perform jobs that Americans

wont take, and that opposition to immigration stems from racism. Opponents of illegal

immigration say that aliens who break the law by crossing the US border without proper

documentation or by overstaying their visas should be deported and not rewarded with a path to

citizenship and access to social services. They argue that illegal aliens are criminals and social
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and economic burdens to law-abiding, tax-paying Americans ("What Are the Solutions to Illegal

Immigration in America?, 2010).

This issue effects social workers and other helping professions because most of the

undocumented workers are living below or at poverty level. Although they may not be able to

directly receive government assistance, i.e. TANF without a social security number, we will

come into contact with these people through their children who, if born here, will be eligible for

the social services. I also believe that as social workers and helping professionals we should

work to create programs that provide services to assist all the illegal immigrants in adapting to

our culture and norms. I also believe that we need to consider incorporating learning a second

language into our curriculum as social workers to aid with this issue, as well.

Current immigration policy is failing on numerous accounts. Stricter border controls have

proved unable to stem illegal immigration flows, leading instead to rising human rights abuses

and victimization of border-crossers. Immigration clearly contributes to a downward pressure on

wage levels and to decreased job availability in certain economic sectors. Many refugees fleeing

repressive governments and violent political situations find themselves rejected by Washington

(Stoll, 1997). Immigration policies and programs may reflect the interests of the nation in

allowing entry to certain groups of people; however, it is the opportunities and obstacles that

immigrants and their offspring encounter on a daily basis that affect the ease of adjustment and

mutual acceptance (Stoll, 1997). Economists tend to agree that immigration is a net benefit to the

U.S. economy. Immigrants fill jobs that U.S. citizens often reject, help the U.S. economy

maintain competitiveness in the global economy, and stimulate job creation in depressed

neighborhoods. But net benefits for the economy can conceal serious losses for vulnerable

sectors of the U.S. population. It is no secret that many employers ranging from suburbanites to
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small contractors to major corporations would rather hire foreigners who often work harder for

less pay than U.S. citizens (Stoll, 1997).

A new immigration policy should stress ethical and humanitarian objectives by giving

priority to refugees fleeing from persecution. It should streamline and restructure provisional

work programs that open the U.S. to temporary workers who take jobs that U.S. residents don't

want, while guaranteeing the basic rights of these workers to organize and receive worker

benefits such as unemployment compensation. It should protect the most vulnerable economic

sectors from an influx of low-wage competition. Lastly it should lower legal immigration flows

to sustainable levels and protect the basic human rights of all U.S. residents, legal or not

(Stoll, 1997).

This issue is very complex. It involves many layers and there is definitely a double

standard for the undocumented worker versus the company that hires undocumented works.

I believe that it is easier for us to demonize the people involved who are essentially coming here

for a new life instead of affixing at least half of the blame on the companies that break the law by

hiring these undocumented workers. I am concerned also because these workers are being

exploited on various levels. Not only are they being paid under the minimum wage but they are

often facing unsafe work conditions as well. They, usually, have no recourse because the threat

of deportment is held over their heads. I have heard some of these horror stories and I personally

know several illegal immigrants that are working in the service industry here in Northeastern

Ohio. I know that we will have a lot of contact with illegal immigrants and their families, as

social workers. That is part of the reason that I am a Spanish minor and am striving to become

fluent. I hope to be part of solution and I believe that effective communication with this

population is where I can begin to facilitate change.

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References

Caulfield, J. ( 2006 ). Line in the sand . Builder, 29(9), pp.9097. Retrieved October 7, 2006,

from

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1088536281&sid=2&Fmt=4&clientId=45249

&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Knickerbocker, B. ( 2006 May 16 ). Illegal immigrants in the US: How many are there?

Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved October 4, 2006, from

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0516/p01/02-ussc.htm#

Passel, J. S. ( 2006 ). Size and characteristics of the unauthorized migrant population in the U.S.:

Estimates based on the 2005 Current Population Survey. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic

Center. Retrieve Portes, A. (2006, April 18 ). Alejandro Portes advocates enlightened

programs for immigrants. UNC School of Education: SOC News. Retrieved October 7,

2006, from http://soe.unc.edu/news_events/news/2006/portes_alejandro.php May 26,

2006, from http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=61

Michelman & Robinson LLP. (2010, June 10). Employers Face Stringent Penalties for Knowingly

Hiring Illegal Immigrants - California Employment Attorney Blog. California Employment

Attorney Blog ::Published by California Employment Lawyers, Michelman & Robinson

LLP. Retrieved November 01, 2010, from

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http://www.californiaemploymentattorneyblog.com/2010/06/employers-face-

stringent-penalties-for-knowingly-hiring-illegal-immigrants.html

Stoll, D. (1997). In Focus: The Immigration Debate. IMMIGRATION INFORMATION and Software

- ITA; United States IMMIGRATION MENU - Immigration Assistant for Windows;

Immigration USA for Windows. Retrieved November 01, 2010, from http://immigration-

usa.com/debate.html

What are the solutions to illegal immigration in America? (2010, October 18). Immigration

ProCon.org - What are the solutions to illegal immigration in America? Retrieved

November 01, 2010, from http://immigration.procon.org/