IMMIGRATION

Christopher Castleton, Christopher Neily, Maria Camila Vargas.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
West, D. M., & Brookings Institution. (2010). Brain gain: Rethinking U.S. immigration policy. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution Press. Print.
After experience, the bureaucratic problems of bringing his wife from Germany, Darrell M. West wrote his book Brain Gain where he addresses the
issue of immigration policies in the United States. Thus, he talks about of the multiple advantages that immigration can bring to the country such as cultural,
intellectual, and financial. Moreover, he delves into some important points as cost and benefits of immigration, competing policy principles, and shifting
public opinions that are relate with immigration reform. Moreover, he is arguing that government should consider looking from a different perspective the
topic of immigration. For example, well-educated immigrants might strength the economy of the country and help to develop fields as engineering,
international relations, and arts. Finally, West talks about how media has helped to reinforce the stereotypes about immigrants, but they do not recognize that
many of them such as Chinese, African, and Hispanics have helped through different times on the history to build the America that we have today.
Daniels, R. (2004). Guarding the golden door: American immigration policy and immigrants since 1882. New York: Hill and Wang. Print.

In his book Guarding the Golden Door, Roger Daniels offers an abroad view of the history of immigration in the United States since 1882 where was
implemented the Chinese Exclusion Act. The book shows how immigration laws have been based under the same arguments. They make to seem the
foreigners as a threat because foreigners might put in risk the customs, language, and security of the country. In addition, Daniels argues that, through history,
feelings of racism and fear have been the principal worry of citizens in the United States. Daniels finds paradoxical that Americans celebrate their immigrants
ancestors who came from Europe, but they hardly accept the immigrants that are coming from other parts such as central and south america. It is important to
note that the issue of immigration have been followed the same pattern. Thus, politicians still refuse to make radical changes on the way they approach the
immigration topic. Finally, the book addresses the topic of refugees and human rights after the World War II.

Immigration. (n.d.). Retrieved (October 10, 2015), from https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration.

The white house official site is a place where people will be able to read several articles that are relate it with immigration policies. In addition, people can
watch some videos that have some speeches given by the president Barack Obama. In one of his speeches, the president Obama points out some facts, which
are important to consider when people talk about immigration. The president talks about how to fix the broken immigration system. He said that, as
Americans is essential to recognize that the economy has been benefited from the work of illegal immigrants, but the immigrants have not taken the
responsibilities that an American ought to comply. Thus, the policies about immigration are looking for repair those blanks within the current laws. First, the
security in the borders has been reinforced. Secondly, the government is offering illegal foreigners the opportunity to obtain the citizenship if they agree to pay
their taxes and to stay under the law. Finally, the criminal records of the immigrants will be evaluated, and those who had committed crimes will be deported.
The main idea of future immigration policies is to improve the system and to make it more just and fair.

The Role of Immigrants

The United States has been a country of immigrants since
the first British pilgrims settled at Plymouth Rock. Seeking
for freedom of religion, shelter, and new opportunities.
They have contributed by:
Founding the Colonies.
Assisted in settling and physically connecting continental

USA, from coast to coast.

Diversifying the culture of America.
Providing a workforce for companies, factories,
construction, farms, ranches, child care, and many other
sectors an industrialized nation requires.
Influencing the formation of modern legislation.
Helping push for Language Conversion Programs in the
public education system.

Historical Time-Line
Despite a constant influx of immigrants from many
nations, this represents the ethnicities that were most
prevalent in migration during the specified years:
1600-1700s English and

1910s Greeks and

Africans
Mexicans
1830s Germans and Irish
1920s Puerto Ricans
1860s Canadians
1960s Cubans and
1870s Chinese, Danes, and
Philipinos
Swedes

1880s Italians and Russians 1970s Dominicans,

Indians, Vietnamese,
1890s Hungarians and
Koreans, Cambodians,
Polish
Iranians, and Philipinos
1900s Japanese
1980s Mexicans

Significant Immigration
Acts
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882: Restricted

immigration of Chinese workers and addressed concerns

about racial purity.
The Quota System in 1921: Set a quota to allow a

certain number of immigrants from a specific nationality

and restricted the total number of immigrants
depending on the population within the United States.
Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965: Abolished

an earlier quota system based on national origin and

established a new immigration policy based on reuniting
immigrant families and attracting skilled laborers to the
United States.

The Darell. M. West Approach- The

Einsten Principle
It is important to recognize that United States can be
benefited from the immigrants if it takes a different
approach about those immigrants who can make
significant contributions to the country. Thus, the writer
Darrell M. West suggests that immigration could be a
way to enhance innovation and competitiveness by

Keeping new immigrants that can bring to the nation

brain gain.
Targeting VISAS
Following the examples of countries such as Australia,
Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Balancing the immigration of family groups.

Famous Hispanics in
America

Diana Trujillo
Curiosity Mars Exploration
Colombia

Alfonso Cuarn Orozco

Film director
Mexico

Franklin Chang Daz

Mechanical Engineer, physicist,
and former NASA astronaut.
Costa Rica

Isabel Allende
Writer
Chile

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Legal immigrants like international students

contribute to the economy of the United States.

The 886,052 international students and their
families at universities and colleges across the
country supported 340,000 jobs and contributed
$26.8 billion to the U.S. economy (NAFSA).
International students, who work, pay taxes.
The diversity among the students offers a new
perspective about the world.
There are many international students that enroll
in STEM fields.

Facts about Immigration

Over 300,000

immigrants come into

this country
undocumented every
year.
Most Americans agree
that immigration
policy has failed to
keep up with
changing
circumstances.

Anti-Immigrant Sentiments
L
A
N
G
U
A
G
E
S

RELIGION

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC

PROBLEMS

NEED TO KNOW
In Los Angeles, 95 percent of all outstanding warrants for
homicidetarget illegal foreigners, as doapproximately twothirds of all fugitive felony warrants.
More than60 percent of the Hispanic gangs in Southern
Californiawhose membership is in the tens of thousandsare
illegal. These gangs involved with drug-distribution schemes,
extortion, drive-by assassinations, assaults, and robberies.
Fiscal cost alone for immigrants puts us in 10 billion or more
dollars worth of a debt a year.
Over 60 % of immigrants lack a high school diploma.
Over 1 million crimes are
undocumented immigrants.

committed

each

year

by

Immigration by
State

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
Legalizing 11 million people will result in them bringing
their family members and a potential for 30 million new
arrivals.
Americans do want jobs! The argument is only there to
help immigration stay alive.
Americans would do the job but they cannot compete
with how low the immigrants will be paid.
We have guest worker programs that dont work, why
bring on more?
It continually hurts the welfare program and our tax
dollars.
The immigration plan will vindicate those who have
broken the law.
It wont stop the gang members from coming over, it will
make it easier for them to get here.
We can barely take care of our Veterans and homeless.
How can we take care of anyone else ?

PRESENT DAY
REFORMS
In the year 2000, the Legal

Immigration Family Equity (LIFE)

Act was passed, which allowed
immigrants to obtain permanent
residency more easily and allowed
their families to obtain a V visa to
enter the United States.
In 2010, Pres. Obama passed the

DREAM (Development, Relief, and

Education for Alien Minors) act,
providing a way for young,
undocumented individuals to gain
citizenship.

Pres. Obamas Executive Action

On Nov. 20, 2014, Pres. Obama took
Executive Action on Immigration Reform,
claiming Congress was acting too slow.
This action cracks down on border
immigration, focuses on deporting felons
instead of families, and requires
undocumented immigrants to pass a
background check and pay taxes. By
passing these procedures though,
immigrants have temporary stay without
fear of deportation.
http://
www.uscis.gov/immigrationaction
Early in 2015, Pres. Obama sent the
mandate to all the states, bypassing
certain regulations.
Because of the hastiness and measures
taken, many regional courts,
organizations, and civilians are making
attempts to undermine the
implementation of the action.

Daniel Garza, the Executive Director of

theLIBRE Initiative, commented "We
appreciate the intent of the executive
action but its hard to swallow the
precedent that Obama is setting.
Twenty-five states have sued. While the
executive action benefits
undocumented immigrants, it's not
aligned with the constitution. In the
long run it's going to create confusion
and be detrimental to the political legal
processes of the U.S.
Even now, Republican Congress is
trying to pass a bill which utilizes the
Department of Homeland Security to
repeal the executive action which, in
itself, as also cause turmoil throughout
the Union.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pablo-manriquez/new-poll-shows-americans_
b_6819056.html

EFFECTS OF THE
REFORMS
Since these reforms have been

put into effect, many

immigrants have joined the
workforce of America from
high tech careers to cattle
ranchers and plumbers.
Young migrants have been
able to integrate themselves
easily into society through
DACA (see chart).
Family based visas account for
nearly 2/3 permanent visas,
and now many have also been
reunited with family.

Effects of DACA

http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/howdaca-impacting-lives-those-who-are-nowdacamented

POTENTIAL
REFORMS
A new reform could benefit the American economy and
A Current Debate

the workforce.

A new plan which was approved by the House Judiciary

Committee in March of this year was the Comprehensive Mass
Deportation Plan Making anyone who is illegal or has
overstayed their visa limit a target for deportation. It also makes
the states responsible for finding and deporting illegals, plus the
Federal Gov. would coerce the States to fulfill certain deportation
quotas.
http://immigrationimpact.com/2015/03/19/house-judiciarycommittee-signs-off-on-comprehensive-mass-deportation-plan/

Keep families together

Check background for criminal activity, if there is

none, grant a work visa.

Promote shared gains for both parties
Form new policies that help and not hurt those in
need.
Build an immigration system that serves the
needs of the American families and businesses.
Reduce the amount of time it takes to get a visa
Help more individuals get work permits to help
the economy
Documented workers provide more taxes paid
Higher skilled workers help benefit the lower
skilled workers

WHAT SHOULD WE
DO?
Use social media to help recognize this concern.
Protect those that are here making an honest

living and contributing to society.

Hire legal immigrants
Help those in need find a good job and provide for
their family
Realize that immigrants on average, raise living
standards for American citizens rather than lower.
Realize that this country was formed through
immigration
Set aside fiction/beliefs and do your own research
about how immigrants help the American
economy

THANK YOU
GRACIAS
OBRIGADO/A

Cited Sources

Main Sources
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/11/20/a-history-of-immigration-reform
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/us-immigration-policy-program/CIR
www.fairus.org
http://borderbattles.ssrc.org/Hirschman/printable.html
https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/why-does-us-need-immigration-reform
http://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/immigration-reform-border-security
https://progressive.org/news/2013/07/183149/what-real-immigration-reform-would-look
https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration
http://cis.org/OpedsandArticles/David-Seminara-Legalizing-illegal-immigrants-a-bad-idea
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/viewSubCategory.asp?id=196 Illegal Immigration: Costs, Crimes,
& Related Problems
Other Resources
http://immigrationimpact.com/2015/03/19/house-judiciary-committee-signs-off-on-comprehensive-massdeportation-plan/ Comprehensive Mass Deportation Plan
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/24/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/
http://www.uscis.gov/immigrationaction Executive Actions on Immigration
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/how-daca-impacting-lives-those-who-are-now-dacamented
DACA Chart
Fiorina, M., Peterson, P., Mayer, W., & Johnson, B. (2011). America's new democracy (6th ed.). New York,
New York: Pearson/Longman.
West, D. M., & Brookings Institution. (2010). Brain gain: Rethinking U.S. immigration policy. Washington,
D.C: Brookings Institution Press.
http://www.immigrationcounters.com/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/17/politics/texas-obama-immigration-injunction/ and http
://www.huffingtonpost.com/pablo-manriquez/new-poll-shows-americans-_b_6819056.html for reports on
the Executive Action

Maria Camila Vargas

Government and Politics
Reflection Research Project

The current debate about immigration on the United States made me feel interested on researching about it as part of my class
project. During the course of government and politics, I have learned about the different kind of fallacies that people can make when
they refer to a specific topic. Then, listen to the speeches given by some political candidates running for presidency; I clearly
understood how people could easily fall into some fallacies. For example, some candidates tend to generalize about immigrants. They
might not distinguish between illegal aliens, and immigrants with legal status. Another common fallacy is argumentum ad populism,
which appeals to the emotions of people. Within my research I could identified that many of the prejudices against immigrants are
based on fear, therefore, a few candidates use emotional speeches as a tool to gain followers. To tell the truth, this class helped me to
realize that sometimes I based my opinions on feelings, but now I know that I should think twice before I say something.
Moreover, the Government class helped me to develop my critical thinking. Nowadays, people usually make assumptions without
analyze first. This is a common problem when people watch the news or surf on internet because some of them take for granted the
information presented by the media. I also learned that the media has an incredible power to shape peoples opinions. Knowing as a
fourth state, the media plays an important role on political stages. In addition, the media might reinforce stereotypes toward some
minorities. Although some channels try to give balance to their news by brining different experts, most of the time the news, seem to
have bias. During the course, I have learned that reading and analyzing different perspectives portrait a broad picture of any issue.
Indeed, as an international student and immigrant, I found that the policies about illegal immigration have an effect not only on the
illegal aliens, but also on people like me who entered to this country legally. First, the prejudices toward immigrants have been
increased, then, they make difficult for immigrants to change some ideas that people tend to have. One political candidate that say
phrases like; "Likewise, tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border. The United States has become a dumping ground
for Mexico and, in fact, for many other parts of the world. (walker) make me wonder about the future of immigrants in the United
States. Even though this candidate might not represent the ideas of the majority, what is true is that harmful words like the previous
ones might create a snowball effect, increasing the fear and hate within the people. Secondly, I learned that the history of immigration
in the United States tend to follow some patterns that are related with the economy, violence, and racism. Finally, I feel hopeful when I
see that topics like immigration are being debate on college classes because I have learned that education offers the opportunity to
consider different points of view, enriching the discussion, and making it reasonable.