Tunnel from Mexico to California

Recently, the federal government found a 1,800 foot tunnel between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico that was mostly used to smuggle drugs back and forth across the border but also used for getting illegal immigrants to California unnoticed. The Tunnel was 4 ft. by 3 ft. and big enough to crawl through. Over 30 tons of marijuana were found at the crime scene, apparently the work of a drug cartel. Here is a link to a video from the crime scene:

Massive drug tunnel found between Mexico and US

In my opinion, if immigration laws were less strict, Mexicans would not feel such pressure to illegally enter the country so that they can have a chance at the opportunity the United States has to offer. If the laws were made to help immigrants and not ostracize them, there would not be as many problems as there are today with stricter border control.

Info here:http://voices.washingtonpost.com/crime-scene/around-the-nation/feds-find-drug-tunnel-to-mexic.html

Picture found here:http://www.jspnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/tunnel_between_mexico_southern_california.jpg

Republican Presidential Candidates on Immigration

The Republican Presidential candidates have all been debating with each other, preparing for the future caucuses and primaries that will decide which one of them will go head to head with President Barack Obama. The topic of immigration has come up in the debates and how a candidate feels about illegal immigration says a lot about him/her. Voters often think of candidates simply as how they feel about a few key topics like immigration. Usually for a candidate, its either a hit or miss.

Newt Gingrich apparently favors a "humane" immigration policy, a significant departure from intense Republicans who believe in erecting a fence (double fence, fence with electrocution) along the border. Texas governor Rick Perry also believes in a more moderate approach and has come under fire for his support of a peice of legislation similar to the California DREAM Act in Texas, a bill that would allow illegal immigrants to go to local colleges and universities.

On the other side, Mitt Romney and Michelle Bachmann think that Gingrich and Perry's approach is favoring amnesty and would much rather build a fence across the entire border. Perry suffered in the polls for his dealing with immigration with a "heart" but Gingrich will probably not suffer in the same way because his policy seemed more logical.

Info from:http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2011/1201/Why-GOP-candidates-keep-debating-illegal-immigration-despite-pitfalls

Picture:http://movingwallpapers.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/republican-presidential-candidates.jpg

Becoming a Citizen

To become a U.S. citizen, there is a long drawn out process that takes time, money, and contacts. You must pass a Naturalization Test that consists of multiple choice questions and 10 questions in an oral exam. This seems fair and generally people pass the test (92%) but the entire process is much too strict and takes too much time and money.

(Could you pass the test? Take it here:http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0104/Could-you-pass-a-US-citizenship-test/Who-signs-bills)

Furthermore, citizenship requires the completion of a ten page application including when in the last 3-5 years you left the country and for what reason. Questions are also asked about personal subject; a past question asked whether or not someone had been a worker of the Nazi government. Hiring a lawyer to help with the process ranges from $1,000 to $2,500, an amount that most immigrants cannot pay.

Should our system be so difficult for allowing immigrants to become citizens? I don't think so. Plenty of immigrants come to this country to be free, work hard, and contribute to society. Aren't these key American values? Punishing these enthusiastic immigrants for the deeds of some of their peers is unfair.

Info:http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jul/03/becoming-a-naturalized-us-citizen-is-a-long-hard/

Picture:http://www.wiltonlibrary.org/blogs/teens/uploads/immigrants_us_citizen_test.jpg

DREAM Act

The proposed piece of legislation called the DREAM Act, supported by President Obama is a bill that would allow students who have lived in the United States their entire lives to go to college, join the military, and eventually become a citizen. The bill was proposed in 2001 and was re-evaluated in 2011. Obama's administration gives several economic reasons for the DREAM Act such as:

-It will contribute to our armies by allowing immigrants to join the army.

-It will make our country competitive economically by allowing immigrants to go to school and become productive members of society.

-It will cut our nation's deficit by adding taxable future income.

-It will make the country safer by establishing who poses a threat to the country and who simply wants to live here.


In my opinion, this bill should be passed into a law. By investing in people who came from different countries but grew up as Americans, the country would be giving immigrants a chance to thrive and therefore boost the United States economy. Not only this, but is it the morally right thing to do; the logic of turning away immigrants when the majority of the country is made up of descendants of immigrants is extremely flawed.

Info found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/12/01/get-facts-dream-act
Picture found here:http://davidswanson.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/dream_act.jpg?w=453&h=453

Baby Boom Population

A population pyramid graph reflecting the influence of the baby boom population on the country.

After WWII, the sharp spike in birth in the United States that remained steady from the late 1940's to the early 1960's is known as the baby boom. As that generation has grown up, they have controlled the markets and dominated the work force. However, now that baby boomers are reaching retirement age, there are questions being raised about how this will affect the United States.

Numerous Americans believe that the retirement of the baby boomers will lead to a sharp decline in labor because the country is on average much older. This decline in labor could severely hurt the economy, but immigration could be a potential solution to the issue. As baby boomers retire and leave the workforce, immigrants can come in and replace those prior workers and the United States will not be forced to downsize.

Currently, about 880,000 immigrants enter the United States each year. If more foreigners come to the United States, this will mean a higher percentage of Hispanics especially in the country and a different cultural balance. This diversity in America is a good thing and something to be celebrated.

Info here:http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/natproj.html
Picture: http://flatrock.org.nz/static/frontpage/assets/money_politics_law/boom1.jpg

Historical Immigration Legislation

The Statue of Liberty was a symbol of welcome for many immigrants coming to America.

Despite the United State's icon status of potential freedom to immigrants in the past, restrictions have always existed to maintain whatever the policy was of the country at the time. Here are some examples of important immigration legislation:

-1795 Naturalization Act (citizens are free whites who have lived here for five years and owe allegiance to no other country)

-1798 Naturalization Act (immigrants must live here for 14 years to become citizens-the requirement was reduced in 1805)

-1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (makes about 80,000 Mexicans living in the Southwest American citizens)

-1870 Naturalization Act (prohibits Asian Americans from becoming U.S. citizens)

-1882 Chinese Exclusion Act (restricts Chinese immigration)

-1921 Quota Act (limits European immigration to 3% the number of their nationality group in the United States in 1910)

-1944 Korematsu v. United States (Supreme Court rules that putting Japanese Americans in internment camps as constitutional)

What does this say about our country? Are we really willing and open to immigrants like some history books paint? The answer based on these laws is no; the United States has a long history of mistreating immigrants. Does that make it right? Of course not.

Information received here:http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/immigration_chron.cfm
Picture link here:http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/ellis-island/statue-liberty.jpg

History of Immigration

Immigrants coming off the boat at Ellis Island, NYC

Immigration is not a new issue; it is a well known fact that the United States was both settled and populated by immigrants from around the world (although at the time, mostly from Europe).

The first immigrants were settlers from the British Isles (English, Scottish, Welsh) Germany, France and the Netherlands seeking the freedoms of the New World and the chance to start a new life. These original settlers were mainly farmers living off the fat of the land and many were indentured servants that had to work to pay for their passage.

The early 1800's brought on flocks of immigrants (15 million from 1820-1880) that came and settled in segregated groups in the Eastern cities like New York and Boston. During this time period, Catholics from Ireland and Chinese workers on the Pacific coast inspired a dislike of immigrants (nativitsm) which would grow worse in the 1900's. After the Civil War, immigration became even heavier and Eastern Europeans like Italians, Greeks, Hungarians, and Polish joined the ranks of foreigners in the country.

All of these immigrants made up important parts of the labor force as the country was industrializing and required more unskilled laborers. Immigrants filled this need for labor but also created the melting pot that is the culture of the United States today.

Background information found here:
http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2008/February/20080307112004ebyessedo0.1716272.html
Photo credit here:
http://uploads.static.vosizneias.com/2010/09/Emigrants-Arriving-Ellis-Island.jpg