Introduction
The question of whether undocumented immigrants should receive a pathway to citizenship or amnesty has continuously been a source of debate in politics, media, and between people throughout the United States. The framework of immigration policy in the United States emerged in the 1960s with the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 and has not changed significantly since the 1996 illegal immigration reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act that President Clinton signed into effect (FWD). Through recent years, we have seen talk of immigration policies very publicly in the media between political parties, congress and the president. With the most recent being with Donald Trump and his presidency, we saw many changes as he enforced his zero-tolerance policy, which was arresting anyone who illegally crossed the border, which resulted in the separation of many children from their parents. In 2017, threats towards the undocumented immigrant community, like when Trump approved the construction of the wall in hopes to deter and instilling fear in these people. He also threatened current immigration policies that we have in place for these communities to be protected, like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, otherwise known as DACA or DREAMers. In recent years, with the beginning of Joe Biden’s presidency, his administration has acted on trying to reverse the restrictions Trump had previously set on immigration. Biden passed a set of rules to preserve and fortify DACA against any challenges in the future coming from conservative parties and proposed The U.S Citizen Act to pave the way for working undocumented immigrants to receive temporary legal status with the opportunity to apply for citizenship after living in the united states for five years, passing a background check and paying taxes. Biden’s implementations have created controversy in politics and between both political parties, with the right wing accusing him of having open border policies, which means he is allowing anyone to come into the United States, while the left wing believes that these new changes are helping with the problem of illegal immigration in the United States by providing solutions for these people. This essay will explore why providing a pathway for working undocumented immigrants and their families to receive citizenship after a certain amount of time in the country can provide social benefits and financial stability to these communities who have never received this support before.
Supporting Arguments
The need for an increase in the labor supply forms the first reason undocumented immigrants need to receive a pathway to citizenship. According to Orrenius and Zavodny, awarding them citizenship will be a reason for them to work even harder and become productive in the jobs they receive, an opportunity that they did not have before (86 para 2). The United States has for a long time witnessed labor shortage that it even saw the labor supply drawn back to 18 years. This consideration insinuates that some people might be tasked with joining the labor force even without having attained their full potential, a consideration that will easily impede innovation and invention (Marshall 2 para 1). The awarding of citizenship to immigrants will, therefore increase the labor force in the attempt of addressing the labor gap and deficiency in the United States. Additionally, in the context of labor supply, Orrenius, and Zavodny further explain that the issue of Unauthorized immigration to the United States was not a substantial issue until the 1970s when the undocumented population rose from a few hundred thousand to a few million and the agricultural sector mainly was affected in that the industry could not operate all time round due to the fact that most of the workers were undocumented. The changes that later happened in later phases of 1970 saw the evolution of the Mexican immigrants in the U.S. labor market from pre-determined seasonal agricultural work and transformed to an all-year-round employment that saw the documentation and employment of several immigrants. This documentation made the Mexican immigrants increase the labor work in the agricultural sector, thus acquiring services and amenities that they previously never enjoyed (Orrenius & Zavodny 86). The presented reasons justify increasing the labor force as an element upon which undocumented immigrant workers need a pathway to citizenship.
The need for economic stimulation due to the Increased financial stability of the immigrant communities and allowing them to acquire the services that Americans receive after payment of taxes and the general forms another reason for the undocumented immigrant workers need to receive a pathway to citizenship. Orrenius and Zavodny explain that such legalization may present several economic effects, and economic effect is one of the effects (86 para 1). Amnesty of the immigrant workforce is an insinuation of an increased taxable bracket. The economic build of the United States has long been built based on the taxable working personnel, and this consideration will widen the taxable bracket and stimulate the national economic build of the United States. Marshal explains that the improving United States economy has led to the demand for labor for 18 years, a nationwide labor shortage due to retirement, and insufficient labor, translating to a lower tax bracket (1 para 1). This consideration makes the manufacturers and companies pursue a workforce. This suggestion is, therefore, a suggestion for the need for a workforce that meets the work, justifying the need for immigrant workers to receive a pathway to amnesty to bridge the workforce gap. Legalizing immigrant citizenship will, therefore, increase their financial ability, allowing them to pay taxes and promote economic development. The presented reasons are, therefore a justification of the need to increase the economic stability of the United States nation as a result of the increased tax bracket being a reason for the immigrant workers getting a pathway for citizenship.
Opposing Arguments
The risk of potential threat to national security forms the first counterargument against immigrant workers receiving a pathway towards citizenship. The consideration that mainly emerges as a result of immigration can easily translate to the entry of individuals with criminal intentions, and proponents of stricter immigration policies propose that policies that lack the proper documentation screening can easily create a vulnerability that manifests terrorism activities (Hendricks and Margaret). The proponents provide examples of points in which individuals with criminal records have successfully managed to remain in the United States without appropriate documentation and authorization, stating that such considerations can easily jeopardize the safety and well-being of the host of the United States. Additionally, this approach of offering citizenship is considered a lenient approach, especially for individuals who have a criminal record or have committed several crimes or violated immigration laws, and this approach can easily encourage more individuals into entering the nation illegally, creating more jeopardy for the American people. While it is essential to acknowledge the legitimate concerns about national security, it is equally important to consider the broader context of undocumented immigrant workers (Hendricks and Margaret). The presented reasons are a justification of security threats and a concern against the awarding of citizenship to immigrant workers.
The issue of job competition between the immigrants and the American natives forms another reason immigrant workers should not be accorded a pathway to citizenship. Considering the nature of the already steep job market in the United States, granting legal status to undocumented immigrant workers can easily exacerbate the competition for jobs in the job market (Albert 37). The reason for this concern is that crediting undocumented immigrants to citizenship will subject them to massive employment and job opportunities, possibly creating a competitive environment among the natives and the immigrants. The influx in formal labor can easily translate to the displacement of individuals from their respective jobs. Employees who are in pursuit of cost-effective labor might prefer to hire individuals who were previously undocumented due to their willingness to accept lower wages. Further, the accordance can easily translate the immigrant workers saturating a particular industry or field, making it difficult for the native individuals to have a chance of employment in such facilities. The argument proposes that the saturation can translate into the natives working in places that are known to the people who are doubtfully documented in the United States (Albert 42). The presented reasons justify the issue of competition for jobs, with the natives being an element upon which the immigrant workers do not need to be given a pathway to citizenship.
My Standing Point
My standpoint is that undocumented immigrant workers need to be given a pathway to citizenship. One of the reasons for my standpoint is the humanistic perspective of considering the reason for immigration. Some of the immigrants are escaping trauma from their native nations, and giving them citizenship will alleviate them of the mental trauma and offer them a standpoint. The ever-increasing demand for the workforce in the United States forms another perspective of the reason for the reward of citizenship for immigrants. The rewards will, therefore, help solve the issue of labor shortage in the United States help, increase the diverse skills, and intensify the invention and innovation sectors since most individuals have a wide variety of skills. The general impact of the increased workforce is to broaden the wage gap within the United States thus an increased economic performance. The increased taxable gap will, therefore, increase the economic development in the United States and generally improve the living standards of the natives and the immigrating undocumented immigrants.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the debate over providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the United States involves complex considerations because on one hand, there are concerns about the issue of national security and the issue of job competition. Several humanitarian considerations are raised in counterarguing for the issue of rewarding the undocumented immigrant workers’ citizenship. Some good reasons that justify citizenship are the increased workforce, economic stimulation through increased labor supply, and the potential for social benefits that favor the argument for granting citizenship. My stance on this issue is that undocumented immigrants need to be awarded a pathway to citizenship. Ultimately, providing a pathway to citizenship for working undocumented immigrants can contribute to a more inclusive, diverse, and economically robust society in the United States.
Work Cited
Albert, Christoph. “The Labor Market Impact of Immigration: Job Creation versus Job Competition.” American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, vol. 13, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 35–78, https://doi.org/10.1257/mac.20190042.
FWD. “Pathways to Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants.” FWD.us, 14 June 2021, www.fwd.us/news/pathway-to-citizenship/.
Hendricks, and Margaret. “APA PsycNet.” Psycnet.apa.org, 2022, psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-77206-010. Accessed 16 Nov. 2022.
Marshall, Patrick. Researcher Labor Shortage Debate. 2018, file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/Rar$DIa5348.11071/labor-shortage-debate-cqresrre20180921.pdf. Accessed 2020.
Orrenius, and Madeline Zavodny. THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES of AMNESTY for UNAUTHORIZED IMMICRANTS. 2012, file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/Rar$DIa5348.11925/Orrenius%20and%20Zavodny%20_The%20Economic%20Consequences%20of%20Amnesty%20for%20Unauthorized%20Immigrants_.pdf.
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