Immigration status in the United States
According to Hing (pg. 3) Immigration refers to the movement of individuals from one country to another nation where they are not the native citizens of that country. In this context, the people of Mexico move from their homeland to the United States. It is the process by which individuals become permanent citizens of another state. Throughout history, the process of people leaves their country and move to another nation is contributed by economic, cultural, and social benefits to the countries. The immigration practice is long and diverse and has, in several cases, occasioned in the progress of multicultural cultures; many contemporary nations are branded by a wide diversity of ethnicities and customs, which are derivative from the former eras of immigration. On this paper, it will focus on the types of immigrants and the factors that contribute to people to migrate. It will also elaborate on the impact that America faces mainly on their economy as a result of immigrants.
There are four major categories of immigration status in the United States. The four types of immigration status that exist in America include citizens, residents, undocumented, and nonimmigrants. The explanation and characteristics of each type are discussed below.
- Legal permanent residents who are those people who pose a green card. This is immigrants who entered America but have been approved permission to live and work in the United States on a permanent base. Those individuals who moved to America mostly from Mexico have acquired green cards for themselves, which have enabled them to be granted authorization to live in America. This is one type of how immigrants have used to gain citizenship in the United States. These type of immigrants’ access America through sponsorship of their family members or some get to America as workers through their employers in the U.S. some immigrants may gain citizenship through permanent residents through refugee or other humanitarian programs.
- Conditional residents are the immigrants who have been married for less than one-two years before they get a green card. The persons who have been married under this type require the two spouses to both files to eliminate the condition before the end of two years upon getting their green card or else if they violate this category of immigration can be dismissed, and the immigrants will be deported (Golash-Boza and Tanya pg.9)
These two types of inhabitants have the authorization to stay and work in America. Unless they are found guilty of serious criminal offence or violation of other immigration procedures.
This is people who have entered the U.S without permission as they do not have legal documents that allow them to be in the United States. They do not have permission to work and even to access any public benefits like medical care. According to Alba et al. (pg. 34), those who get to America are at risk of getting deported if found this type of immigration is stressful to such citizens. The neighbouring countries like Mexico are the most individuals who get to America without documents. There is a large number of people who are living in the U.S without the required documents, mainly the neighbouring nations.
These are those individuals who have been authorized to live in America for a short period. This type of individual involves students from other nations, business people, tourists, and fiancées (K-1 visa). This type of individual has to apply for new documents once the issued once have expired, or they can be deported back to their countries.
These are individuals who were born in the U.S or become naturalized after staying in the United States for over five years as permanent inhabitants. They are immigrants who visit the U.S and stay there, and once they finish the required time they are granted citizenship, and they can’t be deported unless they attained the documents through illegal means (Golash-Boza and Tanya pg.9)
The root cause of immigration is the ultimate motive for the existence of immigration. In the migration context, there are both pull and push factors force people to migrate from their homes to other countries, and in these contexts, its if migration of people to the United States. Push factors are the reasons why people want to leave their home country while pull factors are reasons that initiate people to visit or go to a particular country. These factors include;
Environmental factors migrations that are caused by environmental factors are now days increasing. These factors contribute to the displacement of people or forced movement of individuals by social or ecological factors. For example, pollution of the environment, mainly water, can create a severe disaster, which is a threat to people’s health, and this will force them to move to safer places. For examples, if the neighbouring or those living in the border are affected by environmental factors such as hurricanes, it will cause displace of people who will be forced to go to neighbouring nations if they are in the border (Alba et al. pg. 41)
Migrants mostly move in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families. America is experiencing a high number of immigrants from their neighbouring borders and even from developing nations. These individuals migrate to the United States for a better life in looking for jobs or better education. Concerning education, the United States has been considered to be having a strong attraction as it attracts many students from all over the world.
Mexican migration into the United States depicts the significance of both pull and push factors in economic movement. Since 20th-century Mexican labourers have been migrating to America in search of work in the agricultural fields of the United States, as the economy of Mexico doesn’t have more jobs to accommodate its citizens, therefore, they move to America in look for jobs. Economic migration is mainly connected to poverty as it is believed that individuals from developing nations are the ones who jump to developed countries in search of better life and jobs.
Safety factors can force people to migrate. Discrimination and persecution of individuals based on their citizenship, religion, political beliefs, and race in a particular group can contribute to migration. When individuals are oppressed in one nation, they migrate to safer states. War is another safety factory that forces people to migrate to other countries. America is experiencing numbers of citizens from nations bordering them who are involved in a fight, forcing their citizens to flee to the United States. Citizens of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, who are named as the Northern Triangle, are facing frequent wars which have forced many of its citizens to migrate to other countries for safety (Hing pg. 24).
There are two types of U.S visas: nonimmigrants and Immigrants visas are given out to foreign nationals who wish to stay permanently in America. Nonimmigrants visas are for external citizens who want to enter America for a short time for medical, business, or studies.
Nonimmigrant visas are handed to overseas nationals seeking to get to the United States on a short-term basis for temporary work, business, or medical services. This type of permission required is explained by immigration law, and linked to the purpose of the travel. This type of Visa requires an individual to apply it directly to the U.S. or embassy. Abroad for tourist (B-2). However, distant nationals looking for entry to the United States for education commitments or work may be needed to have approval and certification before applying for a nonimmigrant visa. The issuance of a permit is not assurance entry to the United States. A license mainly shows that America consular officer at the United States embassy has revised the application, and the officer has resolute that the person is qualified to arrive in the nation for a specific reason. The person in control in the CBP officer at the port-of-entry will examine to define if the individual is eligible for admission under U.S. immigration law.
An immigrant visa is given out to a foreign national who intends to work and live permanently in America. In many cases, an employer or a relative sponsor a person by applying with U.S. citizenship and the Immigration Services. Specific candidates like workers with fantastic ability, particular individual refugees, and stakeholders can petition on their behalf. The application is then handed over to the appropriate U.S. Consulate or Embassy in foreign countries for further issuance and processing of the immigrant visa to the proposed immigrant, if eligible. An anticipating immigrant must avail of the immigrant visa at a U.S. port-of-entry previous to the expiration of the immigrant visa. Intending immigrants convert a lawful permanent residence once the immigrant visa and accompanying written document is revised and validated by a CBP officer.
U.S. regulation permits people of certain countries to travel to the United States without Visa. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens from designated nations to apply for admission to America for 90 days or less as nonimmigrants visitors for commercial activities without getting a U.S. nonimmigrant visa. A VWP applicant should
- Finish an Arrival/Departure form I-94W, and they are supposed to pay the arrival fee of this form.
- Poses a machine-readable passport valid for months beyond the time of planned stay.
- Be received on the selected carrier that is cosigner to a Visa Waiver Program Agreement.
There is a massive agreement within the scholars concerning the immigrants if they are taking jobs away from the native Americans. Some economists believe that there are some positive impacts of immigrants on the job market in America. According to research is that Immigrants do not decrease the native employment rates as perceived by some people and politicians. Some of these individuals with this notion are that in short-run immigrants could be reducing the employment of the American individuals. This argument varies from one group of economists to another as the effect varies depending on the broader economic environment. Mainly when the economy is expanding, and the labour market is adding new jobs; therefore, immigrants create new jobs that even the native Americans can get these jobs. When the economy is not stable, new refugees have a little negative impact in the short run on the employment sector of the native citizens of America (Heer and David pg.56)
America could benefit more from the immigration network that is more responsive to more extensive economic conditions. In the present immigration structure, authorized immigrants’ flows are mostly unresponsive to the business cycle. In particular, Congress has established a yearly limit on the quantity of new permanent and temporary immigrants who can enter the nation legally to work, and these limits do not change based on the state of the labour market. For example, in 2010, there was a shortage of labour force in the construction department. Still, the sector decided to certify some immigrants who help to provide the labour, and this helped in giving labourers to the construction department.
During the campaign by President Trump, he promised to set new immigration rules and policies which will assist improve the job market and economy of America. He proposed the construction of a wall between Mexico and America and the deployment of more border patrol officers and deportation policies. According to President Trump is that Mexican individuals who go to America don’t have good intentions as he believed they are taking jobs and taking away their funds and killing the economy of the United States. One of his policies, which is to decrease the number of immigrants getting to the United Nations, is increasing the security guards along the borders and building of a wall along the U.S border and Mexico.
According to some researchers is that Immigrants immigration is vital in areas that are facing declining labourers as immigrants help in boosting positive economic growth in some parts of the United States. It is also believed that these immigrations are essential mostly as the country’s population gets older and fertility remains low. Bahar believes that immigration of some citizens to American has helped to offer labour in areas that are having many ageing people, and there is a shortage of workers. According to Brookings, is that immigrants sum up to close to 15% of all populations in the American workforce. They offer entrepreneurship activities and invest in the U.S., and Immigrants have established many of the firms in America; this helps in boosting the economy of the United States. According to these two individuals is that eradicating Immigrants in America will lead to a loss of investors, and this will affect the economy of America. Concerning Felbab is that the majority of jobs that have been done by the Immigrants physically require works that most Americans don’t want to get engaged.
On my week plan concerning the issue of immigrants, I discovered the immigrants play a crucial role when it comes to the politics of America. According to Marisa and Zoltan is that immigration has risen and affected American politics. Due to their impact felt in politics, the Europeans have developed the misconception that the United States is a nation of immigrants. Over many years the. The U.S has had an ethnic ‘core’ group which is similar to European countries. During the years of 1960, the score was White Anglo-Saxon protestant. The rise in a number of immigrants poses a challenge to acceptance of some individuals like John F Kennedy who was the head of catholic he went many struggles in order to be accepted and from here the circle of immigrant developed to include all non-Hispanic and non-Whites. But upon the relaxation of immigration quotas put in the nation of origin, it discriminated immigration in favour of northwestern Europe; the share has soared.
On the book about the White Backlash, its main idea is about Hispanic immigration of Latino and its impact on population growth in America against the Democrats and redistributive social policies. The book written by Abrajano and Hajnal concerning the statistics of immigrants in the U.S. has demonstrated its strength concerning the impact of immigrants on politics. This book is facing opposition from many democrats as it is unable to escape its clutches. From this book, it demonstrates the separation between the immigrants and the whites whereby in terms of politics is that Whites are mostly supporting Republican and the minorities who are the immigrants support the Democrats, and it’s clear that the immigrants are poor as compared to the Whites and this explain partisan gap between the immigrants and the Whites.
According to this book, the “White Backlash” is that Democrats favours immigration who are the minorities mostly Hispanic. The immigrants have started taking over the Democratic party forcing whites to start leaving the party this adds to a torrent. In the study, it explains that those individuals who don’t support immigration are not Democrats. The issue of the immigrants taking over on Democratic Party has made many whites to dislike it and moving to Republican camp who are believed to be anti_immigration Blair voters moved towards the UKIP and Conservatives. According to the study is that the whites do not support immigration, and they don’t easily differentiate illegal and legal immigrants, and relates both with Latinos, and they connect the crime to immigrants. As the result of this is that states with more Latinos are more likely not to support immigration and vote for Republican. They mostly prefer building many prisons while cutting back on education and health.
My study over the week also found that demographics only is not sufficient to account for the change. The authors claim that media should sell papers and drive even on liberal outlets like the New York Times which portray immigrants in a negative way and does it three times every week than how it portrays the positive impact of immigration. This papers mostly concentrate on the negative impacts of immigrants mostly. According to studies is that the number of immigrants is expected to keep rising.
At present America comprises of many immigrants’ population in the entire world. The immigrants in America are at the forefront in terms of innovation, accounting for a disproportionate share of patent filings and technology improvements. The presence of immigrants in America contributes to the creation of opportunities for less-skilled native workers to become more specialized in their work, and this provides to American been a developed and industrious nation. Immigrants also contribute to incensement to the Gross Domestic Product of America. The ability of immigrants to engage in more economic activities, both agricultural and industrial, give America more privileges of getting more monetary taxes. Immigrants, whether undocumented or documented, contribute positively to the federal budget of America. Many immigrants have become successful investors with huge businesses employing both native and immigrants people of America, creating employment and contributing to the development of the United States as they pay taxes that run the country. Immigrants also help to bring innovation in America; they bring talents that they share with native American people. The sharing of skills between the immigrants and native people is of economic value in developing the economy of America (Heer and David pg.57)
From Hatch and Patricia (pg.120), When Europeans immigrants got an entry on the North American continent in the fifteenth century, they met different native American cultures as there were over 300 different tribes. These individuals whose forefathers crossed the land bridge originated from Asia, and they may be considered to be the first immigrants to who formed the United States. The issue of immigration of people to the United States contributed to the formation of treaties and forced assimilation. The immigrants led the United States to establish its first Native American reservation and approached every ethnic group as an independent state.
Immigrants also have gotten an opportunity to improves their life and norms by learning modern cultures. Integration may make immigrants together with their siblings better off and be in a better position by getting exposure and learning new ways of life in addition to new cultures as America is a diverse country.
From Hing (pg. 52), Many Immigrants can be faced with some challenges and decide to return to their motherland countries. The issue of raising children in unfamiliar cultures is one of the difficulties that force many immigrants to leave America. Many immigrants are quickly Americanized, which can be odd with their traditions and customs. With the issue of bullying and discrimination of children in American schools, most immigrants can’t keep up with this issue, so they leave for their countries. Their age and not their ability usually place children, and those who struggle with English find it hard to cope with school, and they ask their parents to go back to their own countries.
Finding a new job in their countries is another opportunity that contributes immigrants to go back to their countries. Many immigrants in America are facing the challenge of securing good jobs due to discrimination. When an individual’s find a suitable job in their own country, they have no option rather than moving to their countries. Refugees and immigrants are facing discrimination and exploitation in their areas of work. Immigrants are looked upon by many whites and don’t consider immigrants as the best people to work for them. Therefore, when they get a job in their countries, they decide to move out of America.
The challenge of speaking fluent English by many immigrants in America is a problem for them. The exploitation of immigrants and discriminating against them since they are not able to speak English. Discrimination due to language may force immigrants to flee to their own countries. The inability to access services is another challenge that affects immigrants. Undocumented immigrants in the U.S are facing challenges of receiving public services like medical services. Accessing essential services in America by illegal immigrants is a huge problem affecting individuals in America who suffer a lot. When such immigrants face these challenges of not accessing services due to lack of documents have made many immigrants leave to their countries (Hatch and Patricia pg.120).
Conclusion
Most immigrants in the United States are in America legally, but only a few are not having the required documents to permit them to stay in America. The result of the reduction in the unauthorized immigrant population is due to the massive fall of immigrants from Mexico. A large number of immigrants in America mainly comes from Mexico. According to President Trump is that the majority of immigrants from Mexico who the president believe they don’t go to America with good motive. Immigrants contribute to both positive and negative impacts on the economy of the United States. But in recent years, the number of immigrants do America has started to decrease as a result of a reduction in the name of unauthorized immigrants going to the United States. The decline of the illegal immigrant population can primarily be linked to more Mexican returning to their country as compared to those visiting the United States.
Work Cited
Alba, Richard, and Nancy Foner. Strangers no more: Immigration and the challenges of integration in North America and Western Europe. Princeton University Press, 2015.
Golash-Boza, Tanya, Maria. Immigration nation: Raids, detentions, and deportations in post-9/11 America. Routledge, 2015.
Hatch, Patricia. “What motivates immigration to America?.” LWVUS Immigration Study: Background Papers. URL: http://lwvlacrosse. org/files/immigrationstudy_motivations_hatch. pdf (дата обра-щения: 15.01. 2014) (2016).
Heer, David. Immigration in America’s future: Social science findings and the policy debate. Routledge, 2018.
Hing, Bill Ong. Defining America: through immigration policy. Temple University Press, 2012.
Lichter, Daniel T. “Immigration and the new racial diversity in rural America.” Rural Sociology 77.1 (2012): 3-35.