Illegal Immigration

The problem of illegal immigration is not experienced in the United States' alone. It is a common phenomenon that cuts across the globe, and more prevalent in the developed countries. However, the United States is reported to have the highest number of illegal immigrants in the world. Illegal immigrants impacts, both positively and negatively, on the host country's social, economic and political spheres. In the United States, illegal immigration constitutes the violation, by foreign nationals, of the immigration policies that are established.

It also involves the violation of national laws, by foreign nationals, by entering and residing in the United States without the due legal permission from government. Therefore, illegal immigrants violate the country's immigration laws. The causes of illegal immigration are many and varied. They range from economic considerations to political ones. The consequent influx of large numbers of illegal immigrants has many effects on the country's social, economic and political life. This presentation is going to look into the causes of illegal immigration in the United States and its various implications (Espenshade, 2010).

The main factor behind illegal immigration into the United States is economic in nature. This lies in economic incentives. The persistent hiring of immigrants, by United States' employers, as workers is a major magnet that attracts many foreign nationals to the United States, with the hope of securing well paying jobs. A considerable percentage of employers in the United States are ready to engage the services of illegal immigrants. This is impelled by the fact that the immigrants will receive better pay than they usually earn in their home countries. Therefore, there is adequate motivation for foreign nationals to cross borders, even if it would mean violating United States' immigration laws in order to achieve that end.

Illegal immigration that is engendered by economic incentives is further accelerated by the ineffective immigration structure that has its foundation in the 1960s. This immigration structure allows for very few channels for procedural long-term migration impelled by economic considerations. This is best reflected in the case of low-skilled workers. The shortage of legal channels for economic migration has, therefore, enabled economic incentives to effectively prevail over the legal structures. Consequently, illegal entry has become a popular mechanism by which migrants respond to the allure of well paying jobs. The resulting scenario is a labour market saturated with low-skilled workers who have been effectively embedded in the United States economy.

Chain migration is another major factor that fuels illegal immigration in the United States. In chain migration, a legal immigrant can sponsor other immigrants to enter into the United States. The new immigrants then sponsor others, and this chain continues. The present United States immigration policy lies on a principle that defines family reunification broadly. It allows immigrants to sponsor their family members for admission into the United States. Therefore, there is no consideration on what the immigrants might be in a position to contribute to the United States society (Federation for America Immigration Reforms, 2011).

The family reunification system, which the law created in 1965, facilitated chain migration. This in turn has increased the number of illegal immigrants entering the United States. Immigration categories usually state the limits of the number of people who can be admitted under a particular category. Therefore, immigrant's relatives who they want to sponsor for admission into the United States, often wait for long periods to be admitted. Millions of them have already been told they are qualified for admission but must keep on waiting. Many lose patience with the pace of paperwork processing and seek alternative means of entering into the country. After all, they are eligible for entry. This continues to generate large numbers of illegal immigrants every year.

Against Illegal Immigration

This argument essay discusses the grounds in which the United States of America is basing the plans to shut its border with Mexico. Similarly, it discusses whether the United States is warranted to do so and further analyze the contributing factors towards this end. The instances of swine flu attack hitting the United States have been prevalent over the past few years. It is notable that this is also the case in Mexico. The number of immigrants to the United States from Mexico has been increasing over years. Because of swine flu attacks, increased criminal activities and other reasons, the United State's security and health departments are considering to close the border in order to not only reduce the possibility of future epidemic attacks but also to stop illegal immigrants, some of whom are runaway criminals, from entering into the country (Patricia and Massey, 2007).

Illegal Immigrants from Mexico and Drug Proliferation

Illegal immigrants from Mexico are known to smuggle drugs to the United States making it difficult for the security and health agencies to deal with drug proliferation and the subsequent abuse. They enter into the United States heavily armed and posing threats to the citizens who live along the border as well as the security staff in charge of the terminuses. Many lives have been lost as a result of this. Young women are often found exterminated and their bodies disfigured around the Mexican border. The illegal immigrants are ready to kill anyone who tries to stop them from making their entry. The drugs which migrants smuggle are putting the lives of the American youth at risk. The youth acquire these drugs and use them without considering the dire side effects. It also makes them to be criminals in order to get money to purchase the drugs. This will ultimately affect the future United States.

The illegal immigration has also encouraged human trafficking. This is against human rights. Many people have lost their lives. Others have lost their loved ones and bread winners in the family. This has resulted to suffering for many. The people who are trafficked are forced to work as prostitutes, house hold workers and others are exposed to hard labor against their will. They do this work while being harassed and without adequate rest. This risks their health. Because of this, the American citizens are not sure of their family's security (Martinez, 2008).

American Citizens Fear of Being Abducted

The illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States has interfered with the free movement of American citizens who live near and far from the border. Their right of movement has been limited because of the fear of being abducted. Even when people move around they do so with fear and a lot of chariness. Violence faced by the law enforcement officers and the citizens has been on the rise in the past months further calling for the closure of the Mexican border.

The refugees have been badly affected by the ever increasing illegal activities like drug smuggling and surveillance. This is so because the Americas who would like to visit the refugee camps are either bothered by the heavy surveillance or the security as it is. The productive public use of the area has become less. Therefore, people tend to choose to stay away and avoid all that.

The issue of illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States has also made it difficult for those who try to do so legally. It seems like it is easy for those entering the country illegally than those who cross the border legally. The illegal immigrants neither need to present any documents nor follow any procedure. Those who want to cross legally have to follow procedure and present all the required documents in order for them to cross the border. This acts as a discouragement because it is seen as a waste of time.

Gun Control Issue

While buying a gun legally in the United States is difficult, buying it illegally from the Mexican immigrants is a very simple task that requires no obligation. The Mexican immigrants sell guns at a very cheap price posing a threat to security in the United States. The guns can also be found easily and are available in various types.

 Similarly, the United States incurs costs of providing public services to illegal immigrants. There are inadequate options for lessening or doing away with those costs. Economically unstable illegal immigrants strain the services offered to the public for example local schools, and health care. If illegal immigration is dealt with appropriately, the American economy will rise because employers will have to raise salary to attract American employees.

Fiscal Deficit

In 2002 for example, households under illegal immigrants imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs that the federal state incurred but only $16 billion in taxes was paid. This created a net fiscal deficit of close to $10.4 billion or $2,700 on each and every illegal house hold (Byrd and Mississippi, 2006).

The influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico posts a wage loss of about four percent to American workers. This is especially the case for American workers without a high school diploma because of the direct competition from the immigrants. The illegal immigrants from Mexico contribute to unemployment for Americans. The immigrants are employed and paid low wages. This makes the employers to favor them over American citizens who may want to be paid more and thus remain unemployed.

Negative Impact on the American Healthcare

The illegal immigration has had an impact on the American healthcare. According to a Rand study, illegal immigrants are younger and healthier. They use the healthcare services less often. This costs the healthcare system an estimated $6.5 billion per year. The illegal immigration results in importation of diseases such as plague, polio, dengue fever, drug-resistant tuberculosis and chagas. All these diseases are very dangerous and have to be control.

The lowering of wages has created deteriorating lifestyles. The middle class is fading away. American citizens do not have enough money to support their lifestyles making them to opt for improper family life. The illegal immigrants do not pay taxes. They indirectly bring down the standards of living in areas where they are concentrated.

Olivia (2009) argues that some illegal immigrants from Mexico poach and smuggle wildlife by creating paths through federal protected wildlife reserves threatening their population. They abandon vehicles, drop drugs alongside their human waste and litter that destroy fragile Arizona ecosystems. Endangered species and vegetation also suffer considerably.

The number of Mexican illegally immigrating is making it difficult for America to achieve targets such as provision of improved education, environment security and stable wages. Although the illegal immigrants from Mexico contribute to the work force in the United States of America in areas such as agricultural industry and infrastructure, they bring more negative effects to American economic stature. This comes in terms of increasing joblessness for them.

Conclusion

Illegal immigrants from Mexico pose a problem and must be stopped using all measures available to avoid negative repercussions on the United States' economic, social and political well being. The welfare of the citizens is of utmost importance and therefore be safeguarded. Illegal immigration has many negative effects, should be prohibited and prevented by all means. Immigration laws should be tightened and be adhered to the letter. Illegal immigrants should be dealt with accordingly.