This post and the next few will deal with 10 of the most pressing issues facing our nation, one or a few at a time to make it more digestible. Missing from these ten, for now, are discussions of other important issues we face such as gun control, voting rights/suppression, gerrymandering, the two-party system, black lives matter, me too, and many other things.
- Immigration. Immigration has been essential throughout US history, yet Americans tend to dislike immigrants and pass laws to prove it. For example, of the more than 40 immigration laws passed since the 1700s, some of the most egregious were the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, the 1921 Emergency Quota Act, and the 1954 Operation Wetback. Current US law/policy allows for 675,000 permanent immigrant visas per year with, theoretically, no limit on the number of US citizen spouses, children, or parents also allowed, but in actuality there are caps on this at around 450,000/yr. Permanent employment-based immigration is limited to 140,000/yr and there are 20 different types of temporary employment visas. Within the former category is the “Einstein Visa”, Melania Trump’s entrance ticket, which according to the law is reserved for 40,000 “[P]ersons of extraordinary ability” in the arts, science, education, business, or athletics, and outstanding professors, researchers, multinational executives, and managers. Immigration from any one country cannot exceed 7% of the total US immigration per year. Refugees (must apply from outside the US to be one) with legitimate (there are rules defining this) fear of persecution or safety are also admitted to the US with the president annually defining groups to be feared/rejected and caps for regions of the world. Having been as high as 110,00, the world cap for 2020 is set at 18,000. Asylum seekers (applied from inside US) have no cap and the same Refugee rules for acceptance. Each year 55,000 Diversity Visas are granted for immigration from countries having previously low rates of immigration. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is granted to people who are in the United States but cannot return to their home country because of “natural disaster,” “extraordinary temporary conditions,” or “ongoing armed conflict.” TPS is granted to a country for 6, 12, or 18 months and can be extended beyond that if unsafe conditions in the country persist. TPS does not necessarily lead to “Green Card” status (the credential required for naturalization, obtainable via a US citizen family member or employer petition) nor does it confer any other immigration status. Finally, there are 700,000 people (formerly under 16 who are in the US not necessarily due to their choice, e.g., as children of undocumenteds) in the US who are temporarily protected under DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). In order to qualify for U.S. citizenship through naturalization, an individual must have had a Green Card for at least five years (or three years if he or she obtained the green card through a U.S.-citizen spouse or through the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA).
Most economists will agree that immigration is critical to maintaining a country’s economy. Throughout our history, immigrants have taken the necessary jobs that more longstanding Americans didn’t want — from building the railroads and other infrastructure to agriculture and maintenance. Such needs continue to exist in the US. Some of the current immigration debate has become heated about the system being abused but actually many immigration problems arise due to lack of enforcement of existing laws. Most Americans want fair and compassionate immigration laws/policies that are enforced; few want “open borders” (none, that I’ve ever heard of). Consider the following:
- How much of any current immigration problem is due to the lack of enforcement of existing laws/policies?
- How could new technology be used effectively to help enforce immigration laws/policies (e.g., tracking the unallowed and those awaiting naturalization)?
- What immigration policy do we want – for countries, for the persecuted, for skills, for family, etc.?
- What should we do about the current 11 Million people in this country not on their way to naturalization (i.e., “illegal aliens”)?
- Should speaking English be a part of naturalization?