One of the most highly discussed topics in America today is the question of how to handle the problems that 12 million undocumented immigrants are imposing on the economy. Some people believe that the solution is to simply round up all non-citizens and send them back to their original countries. Others however, realize that this concept is not only impossible, but is a severe oversimplification of a problem that requires a lot more thought.

Michael Bloomberg explained, “The idea of deporting these 11 or 12 million people is pure fantasy. Even if we wanted to, it would be physically impossible to carry out. If we attempted it, the social and economic consequences would be devastating.” Bloomberg asked, “Would we really want to spend billions of dollars on a roundup and deportation program that would split families in two- only to have these very same people and millions more, illegally enter our country again?” (Is the Legalization…)

        Americans need to understand that these people are not just going to leave. They came here in search of a better life for themselves and their families and to expect them to willingly give all that up is totally unrealistic. The first step towards solving the problem at hand is welcoming these people into our society, and the first step towards welcoming them in, is to grant them citizenship. The Dream Act is a law that has been passed that will allow illegal citizens who have done well in high school to be granted citizenship and remain in this country.

        The question of whether or not we should grant citizenship to people who have come to this country illegally raises a considerable amount of controversy. Many people feel this would be rewarding people for breaking the law and would only create more problems for America. Others like Nathan Thornburgh of Time Magazine however, believe that amnesty would actually be a good thing for America. Thornburgh argues, “Amnesty won’t depress wages. Amnesty will not undermine the rule of law. It sounds counterintuitive, but with immigration, forgiving a crime may be the best way to restore law and order. Amnesty won’t necessarily add to the social-services burden. Amnesty would offer millions… a fighting chance at self-sufficiency and social mobility” (Top 10…).

        Americans also need to realize the part we play in this issue. People are immigrating to America because of job opportunities. They began coming here because our government granted them seasonal work permits to come help with crop yields in places like California. After their paperwork expired, they stayed because people were providing them with work that paid better than jobs in their home countries. The immigrants are not the only ones to blame for the current situation. We as Americans have set up a system that makes it advantageous for them to come here undocumented.

        No matter how you look at it, the fact of the matter is that people are not going to stop coming into this country, and the people already here are not going to just leave. Mass deportation is in no way a feasible option. America should be focused on identifying the people here illegally and getting them into the system. This situation is not going away anytime soon. If we want to solve these problems, we must accept some blame for the role we play and work together towards a solution instead of trying to assign blame entirely onto another group of people.

Sources used:

Is the Legalization of Immigrants in the Country Illegally a Good Solution to Illegal Immigration in America?

http://immigration.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001362

Top 10 Pros and Cons

http://immigration.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000842