7th Grade Immigration Reform: Home

PRO:

Providing legal status to a hardworking population of immigrants would have enormous economic benefits for the United States. In addition to new tax contributions, a surge of young immigrants entering the workforce legally would give the United States an advantage over other developed nations with older populations, and would help ease the fiscal strains that will occur with Baby Boomer retirements. The pathway to citizenship is not special treatment; these immigrants must wait 13 years to earn citizenship. Such an arduous course is not a reward for breaking the law; it is a process that ensures all new legal residents are dedicated to becoming active and loyal citizens. It is foolish to believe the government has the ability or the will to round up 11.7 million people for deportation. 

CON: 

The last time Congress passed a pathway to citizenship in 1986, it caused the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States to skyrocket. These policies encourage foreigners to immigrate illegally without penalty. The United States is an nation of laws, but such policies reward people who have broken the law and penalize those who have played by the rules. by providing a pathway to citizenship, the nation will be gaining millions of new citizens who have little interest in joining a community they have hid from for years. If the United States suddenly gains millions of new citizens -- many of them without specialized skills -- the new population would place enormous pressure on social programs, at a time when theses programs are already strained. 

PRO:

The GAO found border enforcement to be only 84 percent effective in 2011. The number of border apprehensions may have decreased since 2000, but this trend was likely caused by the weak state of the American economy -- not better border enforcement. border apprehensions increased by 15 percent between 2012 and 2013, suggesting an increase in both border traffic and successful illegal crossings. As the American economy continues to recover and becomes more attractive to immigrants, the United States should not relax its security measures. The border fence only covered one-third of the U.S. border with Mexico in 2013. Until the U.S. border is secured, other reform measures -- such as a pathway to citizenship -- cannot be effectively implemented. 

CON: 

The government spends more on immigration enforcement than on all other federal criminal law enforcement agencies combined. Instead of increasing spending further during an era of ballooning deficits and national debt, the government needs to pull back on unnecessary spending. there were already more than 21,000 Border Patrol agents deployed in 2013, and in addition to a network of cameras, sensors, and drones, CBP had completed 651 miles of fencing along the southwest border as of 2012. The number of illegal border crossings has decreased dramatically since 2000, so the United States should refrain from pouring additional funds into security measures. The further militarization of U.S. borders will only strain relations with Mexico and Canada.

PRO: 

Highly-skilled immigrants strengthen the American economy. Immigrants have started such great American businesses as Google, Intel, Yahoo!, and eBay -- technological giants that have helped the United States cement its economic leadership. There is a shortage of American workers trained in STEM fields, and many companies cannot find the skilled workers they need. At a time when the U.S. economy is still recovering from the recession, attracting highly-killed immigrants would help challenge American students and workers to focus on their STEM-related skills, and bring more workers to the United States who earn high salaries and pay taxes.

CON: 

Millions of highly-educated, STEM-trained American citizens remain unemployed or underemployed in the ake of the recession. By increasing the number of visas available to highly-skilled foreigners, the Untied States would be ignoring the needs of its own citizens in favor of foreign workers. Some American companies are just seeking to hire highly-skilled immigrants who will accept lower salaries. Depressing salaries for highly-skilled citizens will eventually discourage American students from pursing doctoral degrees or studies in STEM-related fields, creating an actual shortage of skilled American workers and damaging the future economic prospects of the entire nation.