Arizona has long been on the forefront of the immigration debate. With just a fence separating Arizona from Mexico and a large number of illegal immigrants filing through our border, the state is significantly affected by the influx of undocumented immigrants.
The issues surrounding immigration range from basic economics to national security, and the way it stands now, there can be little doubt that the system is extensively flawed.
But should amnesty be an option, or should illegal immigrants be deported, no questions asked?
Broad policy revisions need to be made, but for that to happen, concessions need to be made on all sides of the debate.
Arizona is home to approximately 500,000 illegal immigrants, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, and according to the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, nearly 300 are students at ASU.
Should these ASU students, most of whom have lived their entire lives in the U.S., be deported without question, or should they finish their studies, allowing society to reap the benefits of their education?
Early in its history, the United States was known as a “melting pot,” a place where people from around the world could escape persecution and have the chance to live the American dream, finding individual liberty and economic prosperity beyond Ellis Island’s gates.
If the U.S. continues to tout itself as an immigrant nation, recognizing the importance of immigrants to the economy and American ideals is key.
Right now, Americans and Arizonans benefit from the work of immigrants, and if an entire section of the work force were deported, it would take a huge toll on the economy.
According to CNN, if there was an outflow of workers, Arizona would be in jeopardy of losing billions of dollars in economic output, research economist Dawn McLaren said.
In tough financial times it is easy to use illegal immigrants, specifically those from Mexico and South America, as scapegoats for economic woes, portraying them as drains on “real” citizens’ resources.
History tends to repeat itself — Irish, Chinese and other legal immigrant groups were historically targeted and stereotyped for similar reasons.
But when unchecked and unregulated immigration happens as a result of porous borders, safety becomes a major factor — not only in matters of national security, but also for the people crossing hellish deserts overrun with drug and human traffickers.
As easy as it is to make illegal immigration a political issue, the fact that actual human lives hang in the balance cannot be ignored. No unborn children should die in the desert as their parents struggle to give them better lives as American citizens.
Policy changes need to be made to make entering the United States legally a safer and more efficient process. There is a lot to be gained from instituting a more open-door, accessible policy — but it has to be done intelligently. Reform needs to include provisions that address the undocumented workers already in the United States without unintentionally encouraging future illegal activity.
The bottom line of illegal immigration is that something needs to be done. For the sake of our economy, our safety and our humanity; it’s time for the racism, fear mongering and appeasement to end so that reform can begin.
