I. Introduction – Attention Grabber
A father leaves his family in the morning to find work. He performs odd jobs, unable to secure long-term employment. His challenge is to make enough that day to put food on the table, and he hope that his wife and kids do not get sick. No one has health insurance. He hopes, as well, that his family is not the victim of crime. After all, they cannot go to the police. Once at work, he is subjected to harsh working conditions. Sometimes he is not paid for the work he performs during the day. He is operating beneath the law and is unable to take advantage of its protections. He is an undocumented immigrant, and his story is one characteristic of many in what is becoming a new under-class.
II. Awareness of the Problem
The problem in America is the lack of a sensible immigration solution for undocumented aliens. These people are often vulnerable because they are afforded no protections under the law. According to the New York Times, there are roughly 11.7 undocumented immigrants living in the United States today. PRI confirms that number, but it notes that the figure may be on the rise. These immigrants are largely affected by the problem, and many others in society are affected, too. In order to fix the problem, many have proposed immigration solutions. A “pathway to citizenship” has been proposed, but no serious plans have been contemplated. Without a sensible plan in place, these immigrants and their children are likely to suffer without the protection of labor law or other forms of law.
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"Speech on Immigration".
III. Development of the Problem
The origins of the problem date back many decades. The United States has long been an attractive destination for people from Mexico looking to secure a better life. Part of the issue, it seems, is that America has a large border that has largely been unsecured. Prior to September 11, 2001, people could pass relatively freely between America and both Mexico and Canada. This meant that coming across the border was as easy as hopping in a car.
While it was technically illegal for individuals to come to the United States for the purpose of remaining here, few enforcement measures were in place. This meant that while the law technically protected against this sort of immigration, people were practically able to come here until they were discovered, which happened very rarely. Individuals crossing the border also had very little to lose. As certain cities in Mexico have become more dangerous and violent, there was significant incentive to move to America. The problem compounded on top of itself, too. When immigrants came to the United States, they often brought with them children, and those children tended to establish their roots in the country. This has made it impossible or impractical to deport entire families. At the same time, little has been done to develop a workable solution to bring these immigrants out of the darkness. Because of a number of different issues, America has been unwilling to allow a path to citizenship, and because of this, people have been forced to live in the shadows.
A workable solution would include a number of different elements. First, it would account for the children, who are actually in America through no fault of their own. It would also provide incentives for people to come forward. If immigrants came forward to try and claim outright citizenship, they could pay taxes and be counted among the productive American work base. They must know, however that they will be met with welcoming arms and not a deportation notice.
IV. Possible Solutions
One possible solution is to offer amnesty and a path to citizenship to these individuals. This would be a dual plan. Amnesty would be needed in order to get people to come forward. From there, they would have to do a number of things in order to become citizens, including paying taxes for a certain number of years and registering with the Social Security office. They may also be required to take citizenship classes.
Another possible solution would be to grant immediate citizenship to children who were brought to the United States. These children need to be given the opportunity to succeed in school, and they do not have the time to spend working through citizenship measures. This would help to give these children a chance to establish a life in the United States.
V. Best Solution
The best solution is a combination of these different measures. Immigration is a huge problem, and it will only be solved by a comprehensive approach. By dealing with children without dealing with adults or the other way around, a policy might break up families and make it difficult for all to survive. The best solution will include amnesty, a reasonable path to citizenship, and accommodations for children immediately. There is no reason why a person should be required to live a life outside the protection of the law. The father mentioned in the first part of this speech should be able to go to work with the knowledge that his family will be safe and protected.
- Bustamante, Jorge A. “Undocumented immigration from Mexico: research report.” International Migration Review (1977): 149-177
- Florido, Adrian. “11 Million and Growing: Breaking Down the Number of Undocumented Immigrants in the US”, PRI, 2013, retrieved from http://pri.org/
- Orrenius, Pia M., and Madeline Zavodny. “Do amnesty programs reduce undocumented immigration? Evidence from IRCA.” Demography 40.3 (2003): 437-450.м
- Portes, Alejandro, and Robert L. Bach. Latin journey: Cuban and Mexican immigrants in the United States. University of California Pr, 1985.
- Preston, Julia, “Number of Illegal Immigrants in U.S. May Be on Rise Again, Estimates Say,” New York Times. September 23, 2013.
