Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Regulation of Immigration is one of the most controversial topics of our day. Our country was born from immigrants seeking to escape persecution, driven by the hope of a better life. This is a wonderful idea but there are some problems. Once people found refuge they quickly forget their own suffering and want to exclude those seeking asylum. With a recently established sense of security comes an attitude of xenophobia. Our government may not want to admit but they have become hypocritical. With their current stance on immigration, how can they claim?
“Give me your tired, your poor,
the wretched refuse of your teeming shore
send these the homeless, tempest tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door”.
America has always been and will always be a nation of Immigrants, and we must not let government regulation interfere any more. There are many popular criticisms of immigration today, and they all have one idea in common, the them-us mentality. As soon as people are accepted, they naturally try to distance themselves from outsiders. People have dealt with this in a number of ways informally with anti-immigration sentiments, discrimination, and persecution. Formally by policies, laws or acts, and the inception of the INS in 1891.
All of this to keep America American, when in reality most “Americans” are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Even most Native American tribes can be trace there way back to foreign origins.
What gives us the right to limit immigration, the constitution doesn’t grant anyone this power, but the constitution does set up a process for naturalization. Our Forefathers hoped our country would be an asylum that harbored liberty. That America would always be haven for those who were oppressed. How could we lose sight of their vision.
Fear has skewed our outlook on the situation. On the surface all we choose to see are the downsides of immigration. Immigrants take jobs away from citizens, immigrants are not willing to give up their cultures and languages and blend in, we cannot continue to support the world’s excess population, how often have we heard these arguments?4 All too often, in fact so often that we have actually started to believe them but they are not completely true. Immigrants are willing to work, and naturally they take jobs, but jobs that nobody else wants or they start their own businesses.5 I say jobs that nobody wants because there are citizens who are able to work and are unemployed and on welfare. Wouldn’t you prefer a neighbor who is a working immigrant as opposed to a citizen who is on welfare?
People are offended and take insult when immigrants do not instantaneously assimilate into our culture and speak English. English is not our national language, but the majority of our country does speak it and for the most part if people want to succeed they need to command the English language. One reason why immigrants are reluctant to learn it is because even though it doesn’t seem it to us English is a clumsy language that is extremely difficult to learn.6 If you disagree with that, how do you account for our country’s high-level of illiteracy? Often when previous immigrants were trying to Americanize they lost their heritage and culture, and that is why these waves hold on to it so firmly.
The United States resources are not limitless and over consumption is rapidly becoming serious threat. Why do we blame immigrants, for this problem, when the United States consumes so much.7 We can’t point the finger when we are the culprits. If there is any need for more regulation we should start increasing regulation of our waste and pollution. It’s not fair to start with restricting immigration.
The United States has always been a capitalistic country. For centuries employers have been competing for the best product at the least cost. Immigration has played a big part in American capitalism. Immigrants made up a crucial portion of the work force. During the Industrial revolution they worked dangerous jobs for low wages, but somebody needed to do it. Often times when there are jobs that unattractive to the average citizen, immigrants with fewer options for employment will work them. Immigrants also start up their own small businesses, which in reality creates more jobs for citizens as opposed to taking them.8
When Government restricts regulation it is sterilizing society, and barring diversity. Our culture should be constantly changing and flexible, not stagnant and stationary. Diversity allows for progress and innovative ideas, there is a real danger in shutting ourselves off from the world.9 On the surface we may not see how much of an influence outside culture has on our society today. When immigration is more open and less restricted a flood of new ideas is stirred up.
The United States is magnificent country but is far from perfect. This country has attained much success, but we still encounter problems. We will not always be able to find the resolution will internally and we need help.10 Some of these answers could come immigrants, although they from different walks of life there help would still be valuable. With restricted immigration we will never know what we are missing out on. One problem is major cities’ loss of population, cities like New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago have all suffered significant drops in population. This drop leaves the cities with two problems excess jobs and housing. Less restriction on immigration would allow other countries surplus population to fill the United State’s population gap.
Why change what we have been doing for the past two hundred
years? We are creatures of habit and a country deeply based on precedent. Our
Government should look back onto the times of the “golden door” era. Early
Immigrants left a permanent mark in our culture, as do the newer waves of
immigrants. They influence our arts and sciences by the blending of cultures.
Although having fewer restrictions on immigration would create some difficulties
the benefits would far outweigh them. If the
United States wants to be a beacon of democracy for the world it will have to
once again lift it’s lamp beside the golden door.
End Notes
1 Leinwand, Gerald. Americain Immigration Should the Open Door Be Closed. New York: Impact Book, 1995. 13-14.
2 Issues and Controversies on File 26 May 2000: n. pag.
3 Leinwand, 15-16
4 Imhoff, Garry, and Richard D. Lamn. The Immigration Time Bomb. (New York: Truman Talley Books, E. P. Dutton, 1985.), 3-6
5 Ginsberg, Thomas. "A call for more immigrants." The Philadelphia Inquirer 11 Dec. 2000
6 Immigration Opposing Viewpoints. (San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998.),
7 Imhoff and Lamn, 75,76
8 Ginsberg
9 Leinwand, 30
10 Imhoff and Lamn, 104-106
11 Ginsberg
Works cited
Leinwand, Gerald. Americain Immigration Should the Open Door Be Closed. New York: Impact Book, 1995. 13-14.
Imhoff, Garry, and Richard D. Lamn. The Immigration Time Bomb. (New York: Truman Talley Books, E. P. Dutton, 1985.), 3-6
Ginsberg, Thomas. "A call for more immigrants." The Philadelphia Inquirer 11 Dec. 2000
Immigration Opposing Viewpoints. (San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998.)
Issues and Controversies on File 26 May 2000: n. pag
“The Current Debate over U.S. Immigration Law.” DISCovering Multicultural America. Gale Research, 1996.
“The Development of U.S. Immigration Law from the 1950s to through the Present.”
Discovering Multicultural America. Gale Research, 1996
“Immigration Act Sets Quotas Based on National Origin, June, 1924.” DISCovering U.S. History. Gale Research 1996
“Recent Immigrant Families”. DISCovering Multicultural America. Gale Research 1996
Questions Based on Required Reading
1.) What is the only way to prevent hijackers from gaining control of an airplane according to the unknown author?
The only way to prevent hijackers from gaining control of an airplane is to harden the cockpit.
2.) What are the arguments given by lobbyist for the Bells in favor of HR 1542 and arguments given by their opponents against this legislation?
It argues that its members need regulatory relief to compete with cable television companies and other high-speed Internet providers.
They contend that the Tauzin-Dingell bill would give the Bells a stranglehold on high-speed Internet service and delay the development of next-generation Web technology.
3.) Why does small business groups like HR1831? From the small amount of information presented in your required reading, do you think the legislation is a good idea? Why?
They like it because it gives more power to the little businesses, rather then the large businesses have too much power and money.
4.) Give an argument in favor of government regulation activities such as rollerblading and bungee jumping?
Regulation of high-risk activities protects the public, from harm. By restricting these activities they become safer
5.) Define a “burden hour.”
A burden hour is supposed to measure the time it takes to collect data and fill out federal forms, surveys and reports
6.) Why was Connecticut Senator, Joseph Lieberman, concerned enough to vote against the nomination of Professor John Graham as administrator of the office of Information and regulatory Affairs in the current Bush administration?
He questioned the way Graham gauges proposed solutions. Instead of estimating the number of lives that would be saved by a regulation-one commonly used standard-Graham tries to determine how many years of life would be saved. That means, say critics, that he dismisses problems that might not arise for decades and solutions that might add a few high-quality years to an individual’s life.
7.)
What was the makeup of the “iron triangle” during the Reagan and what do
environmentalists and consumer activists foresee as it’s composition in the
current Bush administration?
During Reagan’s presidency the iron triangle was made up of an unbreakable alliance among Democratic committee chairmen, agency officials, and interest groups that worked together achieve common goals. Environmentalists and consumers fear that a new triangle is forming, containing industry officials, the White House and GOP committee chairmen. This new coalition could bar environmentalists and consumers for having their desired influence.
8.) Name 5 actions of the Bush administration that have drawn criticism from environmentalists.
1-reversing a Clinton rule that would lower the legal amount of arsenic in drinking water
2-reniging on a campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide and by rejecting the Kyoto Protocol on global warming
3-signing of legislation that repealed a Clinton ergonomics rule
4-his national energy plan that called for the drilling of public land and easing of regulatory restrictions on energy producers
5-Bush’s signaling of his intention to revise or reverse the Clinton Regulations
9.) What did the executive order issued by Ronald Reagan in 1981 and still in effect today, require agencies to prove before new regulations were enacted? How did the Democratic House counter in 1986
The executive order required agencies to prove that a regulations benefits would outweigh it’s costs.
The 1986 Democratic House counter this measure by rescinding the OMB’s funding forcing a compromise and an easing of the rule making process.
10.) On average how long does it take to build an airport? A highway?
Typically it requires 15 years for an airport and 12 years for a highway.
11.) Discuss the pros and cons of licensing requirements
Licensing requirements can protect businesses’ profits and create a standard of acceptable service. At the same time it damages entrepreneurs preventing them from making their living
12.) Discuss the pros and cons of master plans and planning departments?
Without some master plans or goals and planning departments society will slowly slip into chaos. Goals set priorities that help achieve stability. When there is an excess of plans and the master plan cannot be deviated from a caste system is created. People become dependent on regulation to survive, they stop thinking for themselves, this occurs until revolt.