Legal and Illegal Immigrants in the USA - Case Study Example

and Number of the Teacher’s Immigration Research Paper ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: SHOULD THEY HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES? Introduction The United States is an immigrant nation, since most Americans can trace their roots back to immigrant ancestors several generations ago. More recently, during the 1980s and 1990s, adverse economic conditions in Mexico as well as military conflict in Central America resulted in thousands of legal and illegal immigrants entering the country. Opponents of illegal immigration, assert that these undocumented people adversely impact security in the country. Moreover, they are considered to use up the country’s Welfare resources meant for legal citizens, and to deprive the local people of jobs. On the other hand, the advocates of illegal immigrants believe that they “come for economic opportunities and serve in needed areas of employment” (Segal 48). Federal, state and local governments traditionally share the cost of Welfare programs (Mauk & Oakland 237). Social services include financial aid such as Assistance to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Temporary Assistance for Needy Familieis (TANF), aid for housing, for school, cash grants, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for the elderly poor. Further, there is provision of employment opportunities, training programs, rehabilitation services, school meals, food stamps, boarding and lodging facilities for the homeless, and medical care (Donovan et al 53). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to argue persuasively for the provision of social services to illegal immigrants. The contrasting views of scholars opposing social services for illegal immigrants will also be taken into consideration. Legislation Against Welfare and Social Services to Illegal Immigrants In 1994 Proposition 187 ended the provision of public social services related to schooling for children, medical aid and food assistance, to illegal immigrants living in California. Public social services have been limited for both legal and illegal immigrants through the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. Legal immigrants were prohibited from availing of facilities such as Food Stamps and Social Security Insurance (SSI); similarly, access to Medicaid and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) was with-held until legal immigrants received citizenship. These programs are not provided for illegal immigrants (Segal 118). The Legal Arizona Workers Act of 2008 penalizes businesses for knowingly employing unauthorized immigrants. Further, following the attacks of September 11, 2001, illegal entry into the United States was banned under anti-terrorism measures. However, Segal (p.118) emphasizes that immigration supporters call for “a humane legislation that will find a way to allow people the economic opportunities they seek without compromising American security”. Significantly, America has always prided itself on immigrants coming to this country with nothing, and prospering due to the opportunities the country provides. On the other hand, in the case of Latinos and Asians, immigrants whether legal or undocumented are discouraged from entering or settling down in America, since they are believed to deprive legal citizens of their right to available jobs and social welfare services. The agriculture sector is increasingly dependent on undocumented workers. Their contribution to the economy is significant, reiterates News Batch (2010). Welfare restrictions cause undue burden on health care providers, as well as threaten public health. For example, the agricultural and food service sectors employ many undocumented immigrants; they spread communicable diseases to other sections of the population (Kullgren 1630). Moreover, due to fear of being turned in to immigration authorities with subsequent deportation, illegal immigrants tend to pursue treatment through underground channels, thus giving rise to drug-resistant microbes. This is supported by Johns and Varkoutas (p.101) and by Lopez (p.641) who adds that “undocumented immigrants are unable to pay for emergency room bills or health care insurance, and are without access to non-emergency care for destitutes, and ineligible for government programs” such as Welfare and social services. Illegal immigrants frequently seek unlicensed medical treatment which increases risk of morbidity and mortality (Kullgren 1630). Opposing Values and Beliefs “Immigration, particularly undocumented or illegal, raises a number of issues related to civil rights” (Segal 117). Assessing the impact of immigration, even when legal, is difficult, since it involves evaluating the adverse outcomes as well as benefits of several factors. Opposing public attitudes towards illegal immigrants is a reflection of nativist emphasis on “pure” Americans against the approach of the supporters of immigrants who consider the country as a nation of immigrants. Stoesz (p.161) reiterates that immigrants “create more jobs than they take, and they contribute more in taxes than they consume in social program benefits”. Contrastingly, the long-term outcomes are difficult to evaluate. It is estimated that the government’s expenditure may increase for social programs such as social welfare costs and social security. However, by prosecuting employers who hire millions of undocumented workers, entire sectors of the U.S. economy would be adversely impacted. Civil rights and social justice are concepts based on people’s values and beliefs. The most deep-rooted values and beliefs pertain to how comfortable people feel towards providing aid to strangers. Thus, lack of understanding, of knowledge about immigrants from a different culture, and of experience in sharing their perspectives form the foundation of prejudice and discrimination. Though America is full of diverse cultures, most people live in contact with only their own communities, and have little exposure to people of other cultures. The struggle for social justice is based on equality and fairness, eliminating discrimination on any grounds: race, ethnicity, class, status, gender, age, religion or nationality. According to Smedley & Smedley (p.22), the apparent diversity among people may be more of a social construct than a biological fact. Weiss (2001) reiterates that people are genetically 99.9 percent similar. This significantly indicates that if social construction can be used for creating “differences” among people, then the concept can also be used to develop a just society where human rights as well as civil rights are safeguarded for all the people. “Immigrants bring richness and diversity to American culture” states Marietta (p.61). These ideals of culture cannot help to formulate policy, which is therefore based on statistics. The numbers of undocumented immigrants are increasing, with nearly eleven million nationwide. With their presence in greater numbers, the debate also grows on whether social services and welfare benefits should be provided to American citizens. The argument against the provision underscores that illegal immigrants do not pay federal taxes; and as illegal citizens, they would use up government services and the economy which rightfully belong to the legal citizens of the country. This would help in preventing them from entering the country. However, such reasoning will not stop unauthorized immigration to the United States; because most illegal immigrants enter the U.S. for better work opportunities and higher wages; and not for services. Illegal Immigrants’ Contribution to the U.S. Economy Undocumented workers continue to enter America since there are work opportunities and employers willing to hire them. Laws are not being enacted to impact employers adversely. Realizing America’s need for these workers’ contribution to the country’s economy, any strict legislation ensuring their deportation to their own country would place the business community in an unsteady position. Many of these illegal immigrants were welcomed into the country to fill labor needs. Hence, it may be stated that the stand taken by America to refuse them the provision of social services, is hypocritical. It is vital to provide medical care, education, and benefits such as food stamps, workers’ compensation and veterans’ benefits. This is supported by Marietta (p.62), who states that “by denying these services to undocumented immigrants, the United States will simply create another subclass of people in its society. The labor of illegal immigrants permits American citizens to live in affordable houses, and eat food at reduced prices. Further, America is able to compete in a global economy due to the work contributed by illegal immigrants. Moreover, immigrants pay numerous taxes to the government, such as “sales tax, income tax, property tax, social security, and user fees” (Marietta p.61), and several have worked in the armed forces. Undocumented immigrants do not drive wages down for unskilled American citizens, as argued by anti-immigrant supporters. Though in the short term immigration creates a small negative effect, however over the long term, the American economy is shifts back into progressive stability. This is because of the flexibility of the American labor market, in which there are a variety of economic adjustments taking place following an influx of immigration. Two main adjustments are additional capital and incentives for the native born to achieve higher levels of education. Illegal immigrants pay taxes to the government, hence they should be given government services and a Social Security number. They contribute significantly to the Social Security fund, since Americans have fewer children. Therefore “future generations will make smaller contributions to the fund, thus reducing the payment of future benefits” (Marietta 66), while illegal immigrants with more children make larger contributions to the fund, resulting in increased future benefits. Educational aid for immigrants’ children is vital to help them rise from poverty and to contribute significantly to to the country’s economy. Conclusion This paper has highlighted the crucial need to provide access to social services to illegal immigrants. The arguments of opponents to illegal immigration, who are against providing undocumented immigrants with access to Welfare and social services were brought up, and adequately refuted. Undocumented, illegal immigrants enter the United States seeking opportunities for survival, making a living, and for growth and prosperity. However, they are confronted with hostility from the citizens who especially resent their seeking governmental resources and benefits to which they have no right, lacking citizenship. Due to lack of health insurance, adequate financial resources to pay for services, and deprivation of access to governmental health care, immigrants’ diseases remain untreated or poorly addressed. These facts may be potentially dangerous to themselves and to the public on the whole, through the spread of infectious diseases that illegal immigrants may be unaware of carrying. Further, illegal immigrants contribute significantly to the country’s economy in many ways. Therefore, it has been argued that based on human rights, civil rights and social justice, it is crucial that illegal immigrants be provided with access to medical aid, financial aid for education of their children, housing aid, and other benefits available to the citizens of the country living below the poverty line. Works Cited Donovan, Todd, Mooney, Christopher Z. & Smith, Daniel A. State and local politics: Institutions and reform. California: Cengage Learning. (2008). Johns, Kimberley A. & Varkoutas, Christos. The tuberculosis crisis: The deadly consequence of immigration policies and welfare reform. Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy, 15 (1998): pp. 101-106. . Kullgren, Jeffrey T. Restrictions on undocumented immigrants’ access to health services: The public health implications of welfare reform. American Journal of Public Health, 93.10 (2003): pp.1630-1633. Lopez, Mary J. Access to healthcare for legal and undocumented immigrants. Immigration and Nationality Law Review, 21 (2000): pp.641-647. Marietta, Melissa. Undocumented immigrants should receive social services. International Social Science Review, 81.1-2 (2006): pp.61-70. Mauk, David & Oakland, John. American civilization: An introduction. Edition 4. New York: Routledge. (2005). News Batch. Immigration policy issues. (2010). Retrieved on 8th July, 2010 from: http://www.newsbatch.com/immigration.htm Segal, Elizabeth A. Social welfare policy and social programs: A values perspective. Edition 2. California: Cengage Learning. (2009). Smedley, Audrey & Smedley, Brian D. Race as biology is fiction, racism as a social problem is real: Anthropological and historical perspectives on the social construction of race. American Psychologist, 60.1 (2005): pp.16-26. Stoesz, David. Small change: Domestic policy under the Clinton presidency. The United States of America: Longman Publishers. (1996). Weiss, R. Breaking the human code. Washington Post National Weekly Edition, 18.7 (2001): pp.6-7. Read More