Immigration Today

The United States admits approximately 900,000 legal immigrants every year, and annual immigration is swelled by another 300,000 people who illegally cross the borders of the United States. The Immigration and Naturalization Service estimates that about 5 million illegal aliens currently reside in the United States. Both legal and illegal immigrants contribute to dramatic changes in the racial, ethnic, and cultural composition of the country. Some U.S. citizens think that immigrants have revitalized many American cities, but in certain communities there has been a backlash against the growing presence of immigrants.

Further Restrictions on Immigration? The 1996 Immigration Act is the most extensive immigration legislation passed by Congress in a decade. Focusing on the problem of illegal immigration, this law seeks to reduce the number of Mexican laborers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in search of work. The new legislation doubles the border control force to 10,000 agents over five years and adds fences to the most heavily trafficked areas of the U.S.-Mexico border. It also includes a pilot program to check the immigration status of job applicants. However, the bill does not address the problem of illegal immigrants who gain entry into the United States with student or temporary work visas and then stay in the country after their visas have expired.

Many Americans support these restrictions on immigration because they think that illegal immigrants take low-skilled jobs away from American citizens. Some also contend that the average wages of Americans without a high school degree have fallen because of competition with newly arrived immigrants who frequently work for less money. However, opponents of restrictions maintain that immigrants actually help the American economy by working diligently and by filling low-wage positions that many others find undesirable. They state that the average American citizen benefits from a healthier economy and lower prices on goods and services due to the influx of cheap labor.

Legal immigration is also a source of controversy in the United States, and some observers predict that the 105th Congress will soon try to pass legislation imposing restrictions on the number of legal immigrants admitted every year as well. Proponents of these restrictions question whether the United States needs to admit as many as 900,000 people annually. They argue that there is no shortage of trained labor in the United States and that skilled immigrants are taking jobs away from qualified Americans. On the other hand, those who oppose further restrictions believe that legal immigrants help the economy. Among the critics are many members of the business community, who say that they cannot find enough multilingual and scientifically trained American workers to stay competitive in the global economy. Imposing further regulations and restrictions on companies would, in the words of Microsoft's Bill Gates, "prevent companies like ours from doing business in the United States."

The debate over restricting immigration reflects the many conflicting visions of America's national identity. For example, 1996 Republican presidential candidate and frequent immigration critic Pat Buchanan wrote a column in which he asked, "When did we vote to rid America of her 'dominant European culture'?" He supplies the answer to his own question: "Never." Many Americans share Buchanan's concern about America's culture. However, others argue that there is an undercurrent of racism in Buchanan's rhetoric and point out that, earlier this century, people from some parts of Europe were considered undesirable and were prohibited from entering the United States in large numbers. Opponents of restricting immigration also maintain that America is a nation of immigrants and that it has always been, and should continue to be, a safe haven for people seeking a better life. They still believe in the inscription on the base of the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

Denying Benefits to Illegal Immigrants. In the past few years, both state and federal governments have passed laws to deny benefits to illegal immigrants. In November 1994, voters in California overwhelmingly approved the "Save Our State" amendment, better known as Proposition 187. The law would deny illegal aliens all public social services, public nonemergency health care based on financial needs, and public education. Generally, illegal immigrants are not eligible for welfare grants such as unemployment or Social Security, but children and parents in need are entitled to some services. Officials in California report that providing illegal immigrants these social services costs the state $3 billion annually. Proposition 187 is not yet in effect, however, because it was immediately challenged in court by civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups. The U.S. Supreme Court may eventually rule on the constitutionality of Proposition 187.

In August 1996, President Clinton signed a sweeping new welfare reform bill that cut many social programs for both citizens and immigrants. This legislation makes illegal immigrants ineligible for virtually all federal and state benefits except emergency medical care, immunization programs, and disaster relief. It also denies current legal immigrants food stamps and Supplemental Security Income—a program for older, blind, and disabled people.

Many taxpayers in states such as California, where an estimated 40 percent of all illegal immigrants reside, support these policies because they are concerned about the spiraling cost of social programs. These Americans believe that the government, by providing free medical care and education to undocumented immigrants, is unintentionally encouraging people to enter the United States illegally; many refer to this phenomena as the "magnet effect." Some supporters of the legislation also emphasize that if immigrants pass the citizenship exam and become American citizens they become eligible for public services once again. Experts predict that about half of those in danger of losing their benefits will eventually become citizens.

Although most Americans agree that illegal immigration is to some extent a problem, many oppose denying social services to undocumented aliens and their families. They argue that such laws will not discourage illegal immigration because they believe that foreigners come to the United States to work, not to collect benefits. Opponents also point to studies indicating that illegal immigrants rely on social benefits in the same proportions as other Americans, and believe that preventing immigrants from receiving medical care and education will worsen the problem of low-income neighborhoods in cities across the country. Some of the nation's largest police organizations also spoke out against Proposition 187 and its likely effects if a similar law were to be adopted on a national level. The superintendent of the Chicago police department wrote to then-senator Bob Dole that "forcing young people out of schools and onto the streets would have disastrous long-term effects on public safety."

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