5 Simple Steps to Improving Immigration Policy and Eliminating the Disaffected After Effects
Like it or not, immigration policy has taken center stage in the US political conversation. With the GOP banning emmigration from Muslim countries and Trump calling for familes to be separated and incarcerated for the crime of simply wanting a better life, immigrants unfortunately have taken over as the denigrated class of choice.
It is easy to buy into the mythology that all “immigrants are bad, and natural born citizens are good.” Common sense and a healthy skepticism should lead one to the opposite conclusion however. There is copious research that shows an inverse relationship between immigration and crime. There is also strong evidence that shows immigrants have a lower incarceration rate versus the native born. While the criminalization of immigration is a popular platform for hardline politicos, the truth is that immigrants are not often criminals.
Immigrants are often just driven by dire personal struggles that have pushed them to the brink of desperation. They believe that there is no alternative other than to emigrate. Often they are just in search of economic opportunity, a safer society for their children to grow up in, or freedom from persecution. It is only natural that compassionate societies should reach out with a helping hand.
It is Better to Assimilate than to Incarcerate
It is ridiculously self destructive to imprsion individuals brave enough and tough enough to trek across 4 countries in search of a better life for their family. For one it is extremely expensive for the United States. Reports indicate the US Navy is planning on spending $233 Million to construct and operate an ‘austere’ immigration detention facility. Compound that over several detention facilities and over several years and you can see the self infliucted economic drain caused by imprisoning these refugees.
Imagine just letting these refugees just work instead. They would generate money in the economy instead of costing us money. Secondly imprisioning someone tough enough to make that journey is counterproductive considering those types of risk taking, hard working individuals are precisely the types of individuals the United States should want as immigrants. Relationships require hard work, but the payoff is worth it, for both the immigrant and the United States.
However, after an immigrant enters and attempts to settle in a country is when things can go awry. They try to assimilate and when they can’t they can become disgruntled, disaffected and militant. So what the U.S. government needs to focus on is fostering assimilation and providing opportunities for immigrants. Here are my 5 proposals for improving immigration policies in the United States.
1. No Carte Blanche Citizenships
The United States grants Cuban immigrants immediate citizenship if one toe touches dry land. Germany and by a lesser amount the United States are giving similar carte blanche approvals to limited numbers of Iraqi and Syrian immigrants because of the instabilities in those countries. Although, now the political tide is turning and many countries are now denying asylum, stopping migrants at the border, or deporting these immigrants to Turkey or in some instances back to their home country.
Neither carte blanche approvals nor callous denials of asylum and imprisonment of their children are a good solution however. Persecuted people need help, and countries in a position to offer that help should.
Contrary to political rhetoric immigrants often improve the economy of their host countries. However, the U.S. should try to ease the initial social integration problems that inevitably arises to improve the odds that a new immigrant will not become disaffected, sidelined, or maligned.
Human nature often jades people into not valuing what they receive for free. Thus the U.S. government should enhance the immigration process with training and tools to help an immigrant assimilate. Immigrants will value their new citizenship and the U.S. will gain a hard working contributor to society if both parties put some effort into the developing the relationship.
As such the immigration process should proceed much like the journey towards gaining a a college degree. The U.S. would benefit from an assimilated immigrant much more then they would one struggling to find his place in a new society.
2. Training Classes
Relationships require hard work, and thus the U.S. should offer and require completion of training classes for language, civics, local law, economics and job skills training. If we put forth the effort to train and immigrants put forth the effort to assimilate then we both will be better off in the long run.
3. Courtship and Continuing Education
After immigrants pass a series of introductory classes designed to help them assimilate, the U.S. should then reward that hard work with job placement assistance and continuing education courses in civics, language, history, local art, and job skills training. The government at this point could partner with public universities in offering tailored lessons that augment the curriculum of existing degree programs.
4. Required Community Service
The federal and local governments should encourage immigrants to provide community service for their host communities in return for fast track approval of their application for immigration. Immigrants could help out on food drives, pick litter up from highways, serve as a clerk at city hall etc. Giving back will help them feel like they belong. Also, the community as a whole will benefit from their contributions and this will help break down social barriers that immigrants often struggle against.
5. Full Citizenship in 4 Years
The assimilation process should lead predictibly to full citizenship status for immigrants. Let me be clear, the process should not be impossible, onerous, or filled with red tape; however, it should be a challenging and learning experience. Migrants should feel like they’ve accomplished something, and countries in return should be grateful and should reward the effort in the form of full citizenship rights.
Getting a bachelors degree takes about 4 years. There is no reason why the U.S. and immigrants alike should not at least put in as much effort into assimilation as public universities and students put into a gaining college degree. Furthermore, extending the process out 10–20 years is also not helpful for the immigrant or the country.
The immigrant will feel more civic pride, less disenfranchisement, and they would be proud of what they have achieved. The U.S. in turn will be rewarded with the economic benefit of a hard working, educated and literate citizen. It is a win-win proposition.
In Conclusion
The U.S., its naturalized citizens and the immigrants who wish to attain the same should work together to developing a symbiotic, productive and beneficial relationship. Relationships require hard work, but the payoff is worth it, for both the immigrant and the host country.
