National Advocacy (political science) - Research Paper Example

Like the Arizona anti-immigration law, the Alabama Bill has been the subject of much debate and controversy. Hammon’s campaign sentiments express the general views of those who support Arizona-style anti-immigration laws. Hammon said: We’ve let this go on too long. Our budget cannot handle it. Our justice system cannot handle all the crime. We want them to stop taking advantage of our benefits (Beyerle 2011). These sentiments reflect the concern that undocumented individuals are taking jobs that American citizens can have.

More troubling however, undocumented aliens do not pay income taxes and as a result the government is denied a valuable source of revenue. If American citizens held the jobs that are currently taken by undocumented aliens, their income would be taxed. Complicating matters, undocumented aliens typically send their income to family and loved ones in their countries of origin, thus contributing to or worsening the depressed economy (Langley 2007, p. 19). Ultimately, arguments in favour of anti-immigration laws that mirror the Arizona immigration law and the Alabama Bill take the position that, illegal aliens take away from the economy rather than contribute to it.

At the same time, illegal aliens enjoy the benefits that come with contributing to economic growth and tax revenues. The extent of those benefits are manifested by the fact that they live in the US and use facilities supported by tax-payers, such as schools, hospitals, parks, roads and other essential provisions and amenities (Langley 2007, pp. 19-20). As for crime, the Testimony of District Attorney John M. Morganelli befor the House Subcommittee on Immigration Border, Security and Claims reflects the concerns about illegal immigration and crime.

Morganelli noted that: The majority of illegal aliens who are here are engaged in criminal activity. Identity theft, use of fraudulent social security numbers and green cards, tax evasion, driving without licenses represent some of the crimes that are engaged in by the majority of illegal aliens on a daily basis merely to maintain and hide their illegal status (The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration, n.d.). There is no denying the authenticity of these concerns. Any time an event or a system of events contributes toward criminal activity and economic decline, it requires immediate attention and resolution.

The obvious question is then, why are anti-immigration laws so controversial? Why was there so much debate and controversy over Arizona’s anti-immigration law? Why should these controversies and debates concern Alabama’s law-makers and any other state seeking to resolve the immigration issues identified in the preceding passages? The other side of the argument sheds some light on the contentious issues surrounding the immigration issue. The primary concern for advocates against the Alabama Bill is reflective of the concern expressed against the Arizona Immigration Law.

That concern is human rights issues. As Jason Childs, State Director for the Center for Progress in Alabama stated: These people are not some kind of problem to be dealt with, they’re committed members of our community, they’re human beings with inalienable rights, they have been a tremendous resource for our state (Wolverton 2011). It is unclear how illegal