Illegal Immigration Policy Analysis

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Introduction

Immigration reform has emerged as one of the most deliberated issues in the modern political climate. Illegal immigration has been an enduring problem for most of modern history. Undocumented immigrants account for 3.4% of the United States Population. This translates to about 11.3 million individuals (Krogstad, Passel, and Cohn 2017). The overbearing theme of immigration cites concerns of national security, employment opportunities, and economic determinants. While previous administrations have taken their own policy directives to concerning illegal immigration, such as the Obama administration’s Dream Act. The Trump administration is undertaking a more unconventional policy solution. Shifting public policy directives between
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Mexico is no longer the only source of immigrants. Data is showing that “the number of immigrants in the United States from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras rose by 25% from 2007 to 2015” and “during these same years, the total U.S. immigrant population increased by 10%, while the number of U.S. Mexican immigrants decreased by 6%” (Cohn, Passel and Gonzalez-Barrera 2017). Additionally, Mexico is no longer the sole location of border crossings. A report identified that “six states account for 59% of unauthorized immigrants: California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois” (Krogstad, Passel, and Cohn 2017). Statistical data shows that the United States’ immigration problem is more complex than a sole originator. Scholars indicate that “immigration is an “intermestic” issue—that is, it simultaneously involves politics in the U.S. and the immigrant-sending states. Managing it, therefore, requires international collaboration, without which it will be impossible to stem the flow of immigrants” (De la Garza, 2011). The construction of a physical wall at the border of the United States and Mexico may not alleviate the …show more content…
Mexico being a chief contributor as an entry point needs to implement greater consequences for those who break United States law. Once Mexico implements these policies, it should serve as a model for other countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. These policies should impact chances of immigrating through legal channels. This should dissuade individuals from trying to circumvent the system. Border security efforts would be null if actions are not taken from both sides of the border.

The United States needs to take stronger action against employers who fail to verify the legal presence status for employees. Mandating ongoing verification status will reduce the amount of those who overstay their visas. Currently verification “laws require or strongly incentivize employers within a designated jurisdiction to electronically verify newly hired employees’ citizenship status and employment eligibility by accessing information in databases” (Newman et al. 2012). The Social Security Administration maintains this database. In order to de-incentivize hiring illegal immigrants, I would mandate its usage. Additionally, employers would be required to verify status twice a year. This policy would also add substantial monetary penalties for those who violate the mandate. This mandate would also add criminal penalties for those who repeatedly violate the mandate. This