Comprehensive immigration reform: Why the hold up - Research Paper Example

However, Republicans in the House of Representatives continue to ignore a Bill passed by the Senate, a Bill that enjoyed by-partisan support. Immigrants, illegal or not, are not an economic detriment, commit fewer crimes and add to the cultural diversity of the nation, a win, win, win. Unfortunately, Republican refuse to bring the issue to a vote, a stance that opposes facts and logic. Instead, they have again deferred to a long-standing policy of bigotry, ignorance and political posturing to their own detriment.

It was the staunchly conservative faction of the Republican Party that killed immigration reform in 2007 when then President Bush attempted to pass a bill very similar to the one Obama is advocating. History is repeating. In June of 2013 the U.S. Senate passed a reform bill by a 68-32 margin meaning about a dozen Republicans voted in favor. That’s as far as it will likely go. Speaker of the House, John Boehner, has said that body will not vote on it this year. (Silva, 2013) All Boehner needs is a small percentage of Republicans to join Democrats in supporting the measure which he likely has, easily, which is why he’s not allowing a vote. . “The notion that immigrants take jobs from Americans is a ‘fixed-pie’ view of the economy that never made sense.

” Research has shown immigration, both legal and illegal, actually increases wages for U.S. citizens. “There aren’t a fixed number of jobs in the U.S. Immigration increases the potential for job-creation in the U.S.” (Sherter, 2013). How could any reasonable person think that illegal immigrants from South of the border, the main concern of immigration reform, who have little to no education, barely speak broken English and are a stranger to the American culture could take jobs from people born, raised, educated and assimilated into society?

Illegal immigrants are a boost for the economy. They are paid low wages which translates to lower food costs at the grocery store, cheaper childcare and landscaping services along with lower construction costs which keep, among other things, house price lower. Inexpensive childcare frees parents to pursue higher waged jobs which help fuel the economy. “A comprehensive immigration plan this year that includes a way for undocumented workers to gain legal status would increase tax revenue by $4.

5 billion or more over three years, and increase gross domestic product by $1.5 trillion over 10 years. (Woellert, 2013) In addition, male illegal immigrants are not eligible for any government assistance and contribute to the Social Security fund through payroll deductions, a fund they will never collect a dime from. If illegal immigration was stopped, as many Republicans advocate, the U.S. economy would suffer, not to mention the unnecessary human misery caused to people from an impoverished country.

Illegal immigrants are much more mobile than citizens. They do not usually have a permanent