Political Science; Democracy- Immigration - Essay Example

Watching the c-span video has changed my thinking about immigration policy in several fundamental ways. I can’t say that I really thought a lot about this subject because it doesn’t seem to directly affect me or anyone I know in a direct manner. But the video has helped me to reassess my feelings about this issue. I now feel that immigration might be one of the greatest issues we need to deal with in America today. My first change came in how I view immigrants. I feel that the video was very humanizing.

I guess I never really thought about the hopes and dreams that these people hold. I have at times in the past felt that no illegal immigrant had any right to complain if they were caught and deported. They know they are entering a country illegally and that they should obey the law and take their punishment if they are caught. From the discussion on the video, I can see that it just isn’t this cut and dried. Almost all illegal immigrants have family back home depending on the income they make in America.

That income is a lifeline and a deportation means an abrupt stoppage of that remittance income. Arresting and deporting illegal immigrants affects many more people than just the illegal immigrant. The video also made me aware of the economic impacts of illegal immigrants. I know that economics drives immigration. There is no other reason for people to leave their friends and family than seeking a better life. I have always heard about the costs of illegal immigrants. Many people are quick to point out that illegal immigrants fill up schools with their kids, show up at the emergency room without health insurance and pay no taxes for government services.

But illegal immigrants also provide cheap labor for various industries and segments of the national economy. The overall feeling I got from the video is the need for comprehensive immigration reform from the federal government. It is not an issue that the states should be able to address because this will just leave us with the patchwork of immigration laws that we currently have. States are going to step in to the void created by the federal government that seems unable to deal with the current situation in any comprehensive way.

Advocates for illegal immigrants are very convincing in the video, but I feel that they may actually be doing more harm than good. Compromise needs to be made on all sides if a workable immigration reform is to be made. Some illegal immigrants may need to come out of hiding or may even need to return home. This needs to be done in a way that takes the human costs into consideration and allows for some sort of legal entry into the country at a future time. Immigration laws in the United States need to be written in a way that is humane and understanding, yet firm and unyielding.

Stemming the tide of illegal immigration is a challenge that this congress must confront if it is to be considered a success.