Effects of Illegal Immigration Essay Example
Effects of Illegal Immigration Essay Example

Effects of Illegal Immigration Essay Example

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  • Pages: 7 (1673 words)
  • Published: November 27, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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The influx of undocumented immigrants from other countries has had a significant impact on the standard of living in our US community.

The majority of Americans do not benefit from the redirection of taxpayer funding towards programs for illegal immigrants who cannot financially support themselves or their families. The most significant expenses linked to illegal immigration are Medicaid ($2.5 billion), treatment for the uninsured ($2.2 billion), food assistance programs (such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches) ($1.9 billion), and the federal prison and court systems ($1 billion).

In 2004, Camarota argued that it is unjust for taxpayers to shoulder the expenses related to education, healthcare, welfare, and imprisonment of illegal immigrants. About two thirds of household heads among undocumented immigrants lack a high school degree which restricts their job options to low-paying unskilled labor. To support these und

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erprivileged individuals, resources must be allocated towards providing education and other basic needs.

In 1982, the Supreme Court ruled in Plyer vs. Doe that it is against the law to deny education to children whose parents are not legal residents, even if those children are US citizens. These students often come from impoverished households with other undocumented immigrants facing similar struggles. The total cost for K-12 education for undocumented students is approximately $12 billion annually; this number increases to $28 billion when including US-born peers who have undocumented parents.

According to Martin (2005), it is recommended to provide funding for language classes for adult unauthorized immigrants in order to fully integrate them into society. However, supporting those who have broken the law can negatively impact our children's education and well-being. Some states and Congress offer discounted in-state tuition fees

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at public colleges and universities that are not available to citizens from other states. Martin (2005) emphasizes the importance of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act which has been reintroduced by lawmakers. This program allows undocumented immigrants brought into the U.S. before age 16 to earn citizenship either by joining the military or attending college. However, such initiatives can create complications.

Obtaining financial assistance for higher education in the US can be challenging, especially for Americans who are also responsible for supporting numerous undocumented immigrants. The rising population of illegal aliens has brought attention to the growing expenses associated with education and its potential effects on future generations, making this an urgent issue that could significantly impact Americans' quality of life.

The never-ending battle of being an American taxpayer persists. In a perfect world, where resources are abundant and there is no global interconnectedness, providing aid to undocumented migrants for a better life would not be problematic. However, in reality, allotting funds towards education for illegal immigrants could put citizen programs and assistance at risk. Additionally, unlawful immigration has resulted in healthcare becoming an added financial strain.

With the increasing number of illegal immigrants in the country, the healthcare industry faces significant challenges. Providing adequate care for this group incurs high costs and presents difficulties that may result in higher health insurance premiums for taxpayers. Hospitals with emergency rooms are required by law to treat patients suffering from emergency medical needs, regardless of their ability to pay under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. However, uninsured patients treated under this provision may not receive reimbursement, creating a complex situation. As a result, many

undocumented immigrants choose non-emergency preventive care in emergency rooms due to the requirement to provide treatment to all patients experiencing emergencies.

Even though healthcare coverage is not decisive, it is crucial that individuals receive treatment for their illnesses. Regrettably, the exploitation of the healthcare system occurs through various means such as using emergency rooms for both urgent and non-urgent matters. Additionally, the practice of women traveling to America just to deliver anchor babies - children of undocumented immigrants - further aggravates problems in the healthcare industry.

The term "anchor babies" refers to children who are viewed as the basis for their parents' citizenship. These mothers believe that these offspring will have the ability to sponsor both themselves and their entire families for U.S. citizenship in the future.

The current misinterpretation of the 14th amendment serves as both an abuse and a temptation for illegal immigrants to enter the US and await sponsorship for citizenship. Although it was initially designed to grant citizenship exclusively to black Americans born in the US following the Civil War, no revisions have been made to address present-day immigration issues. To deter piggybacking that could promote further unlawful immigration, changes must be made to this legislation.

The United States government's proposition to classify a child born to undocumented immigrants as illegal creates a paradoxical scenario where breaking laws leads to favorable results. The country is currently experiencing an unparalleled level of immigration.

The United States is faced with a critical issue of an estimated 4 to 8 million undocumented immigrants, mainly from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean residing in the country. As per Thomas (2003), a majority of these individuals originate from impoverished backgrounds.

Although some may require medical aid, they avoid seeking it owing to their fear of being recognized as illegal and deported. This poses a challenge as many people who need medical assistance are hesitant to come forward due to apprehension. Consequently, this has significant implications for the United States.

Undocumented migrants, who could have medical conditions and lack any prior medical examination or awareness of their infections, are being exposed to the public. This can encompass communicable illnesses that have already been addressed in American citizens through vaccinations during both childhood and adulthood.

Assisting illegal immigrants who are ill increases expenditure, as they are not entitled to aid such as food stamps and subsidized meals. However, if their offspring is born in the United States, they can avail of assistance and have equivalent privileges to those born within the country. Such support resources are utilized more frequently by immigrants than individuals native to the US.

America's taxpayers are responsible for illegal immigrants convicted of committing a felony or two misdemeanors, with the federal State Alien Assistance program (SCAAP) providing some compensation to states such as New York for their incarceration. Despite already supporting illegal immigrants below the poverty line, taxpayers must also pay for their criminal actions. There is insufficient effort made to notify immigration authorities when these offenders are released to aid deportation.

Finding a recently released ex-convict can be difficult. Some states are suing the federal government for the costs of providing food, housing, and medical care to undocumented immigrants. They argue that since the federal government is not stopping unauthorized immigration, it should pay for any expenses incurred. This has raised concerns among citizens about fairness

in dealing with illegal immigration because taxpayer money is being used to help those who entered our country without permission.

Enforced laws should strictly penalize both businesses that hire unauthorized immigrants and individuals who illegally enter the country. Augmenting border security can be an added measure to address this issue. However, offering assistance to undocumented immigrants for their unmet needs may endanger a significant aspect of the United States.

Both American citizens and illegal immigrants face the challenge of unemployment. Yet, worsening the issue is assigning job opportunities intended for U.S. citizens to undocumented immigrants. Thus, resolving the problem in the United States seems unlikely without confronting illegal immigration directly.

Restricting the entry of legal citizens to a country can deter illegal immigration, while granting citizenship through family members after entering illegally encourages this behavior. This is not allowed in other nations, where millions are prohibited from entering without following proper immigration procedures and living off taxpayer-funded services under false identities. It is crucial to honor entry regulations, and those who violate them should not be given special treatment. American taxpayers already encounter numerous uncontrollable burdens, such as financing wars.

The impact of undocumented immigrants on different aspects like healthcare, education, and the justice system is significant in the US. Consequently, taxpayers who are natural born citizens have to bear the expenses of supporting those who entered the country without permission and established their families at the expense of taxpayers' money. Thus, citizens should anticipate a rise in taxes and reduced quality of life until there is a change in government's lenient approach towards illegal immigration.

The following reference sources are cited: Bazar (2007), who argues that immigrants without a

solid educational background negatively impact their host country, and Camarota. The citation for Bazar can be found on MasterFILE Premier, accessed on November 30, 2007, via the URL http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true=f5h=J0E307566370707=ehost-live.

In 2004, the Center for Immigration Studies conducted a study titled "The High Cost of Cheap Labor: Illegal Immigration and the Federal Budget". The study can be accessed through Academic Search Premiere and was retrieved on November 15, 2007 via http://search.ebscohost.

Clark, R. and Anderson, S. (2000) wrote about the presence of illegal aliens in criminal justice systems at the federal, state, and local levels as seen in com/login.aspx?direct=true;db=aph;AN=14298026;site=ehost-live.

The publication titled "Urban Institute" can be obtained from http://www.urban.org/publications/410366. The retrieval date was November 15, 2007.The Hopkins Undergraduate Research Journal's Issue 7 featured an article by M. Draoua in 2007. The focus was on the impact of illegal immigration on the healthcare system in the US. The article can be accessed through http://www.jhu.edu/hurj/issue7/focus-draoua. The text is enclosed by .

The workshop report titled "Local Fiscal Effects of Illegal Immigration" was authored by Edmonston, B. and Lee, R. D. in 1996.

Edmonston, B. and Smith, J. authored a publication that was published by the National Academies Press in Washington, D.C.

(1997) The book titled "The new Americans: economic, demographic and fiscal effects of immigration" was published by the National Academies Press in Washington, D. C.

The source of "Breaking the piggy bank: How illegal immigration is sending schools into the red" is Martin, J. (2005) from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The information was retrieved from a website. The text is contained within a HTML paragraph tag.

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