RWS 1301

Jorge Quezada

30/11/12

Immigrations underbelly in the 21st century

Editorial by: Jorge Quezada
Immigration is a problem that has been around ever since the establishment of a
government or some sort of hierarchal form of leading was first seen. People have been
migrating from one place to another and will continue to do so. Ever since the early
1920s and even before America was colonized by many different types of people and
more recently since the growing rates of crime and unemployment in Mexico more and
more Mexicans are coming into the U.S both legally and illegally. There are 11.3
unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S currently and with these numbers on the rise
each year it is important to figure out a sustainable way to accommodate all of these
immigrants.

For example the U.S spends approximately $3.5 billion each year on immigration and
border enforcement. This has an opportunity cost as in money that could be spent on
something else such as hospitals, schools, or roads. Since immigration is something that
through course of mankind has shown no sign of stopping it is not logical to waste time
and resources delaying the natural flow of humans. Another thing that governments say
immigration affects is the people living here prior to them, the legal citizens. However
in reality what constitutes a native, this is just a social construct. In reality according to
the words of the founding fathers we are all human beings equal in every way.

RWS 1301

Jorge Quezada

30/11/12

Psychologically an immigrant at times faces xenophobia from others, the need to

acculturate and language barriers as well as others hardships. Given this isnt something
that just happens just here but everywhere, yet evidence shows that regardless of theses
disadvantages students descending from immigrant parents outperform their native peers.
In addition to this there have been many studies about the positive or negative effects of
immigration and all gave indication of an overall positive effect from the immigrants.

Concluding there are some alternatives that current efforts at dealing with immigration.
Firstly you could just take down the barrier as a whole use the money for sustainable
growth in areas near the newly opened border. This could be extremely controversial
because there would in reality be a free flow of people amongst the two countries many
people would find this absurd or even better un-American. Contrasting one could do the
opposite and increase wall expand on keeping people out as well as raising consequences
for trespassers. This would not only sky rocket costs it would most likely in turn raise
aggression between the two and in fact do damages financially and emotionally on either
side.

RWS 1301

Jorge Quezada

30/11/12

There is only one ideal way to do this and it is to have a mix of the two raise the want for
Mexicans to want to cross legally by investing in ways they can be helped or informed of
something. The money would come from the resources spent on border protection, now it
wouldnt make sense to come in illegally and not get benefits. Although this is just an
arbitrary idea it is the idea of equality and understanding amongst two sides is key for the
improvement of immigration in the U.S.

References
Velazquez, C. (2011, January 4). Crosswords the psychology of immigration in the new
century. Retrieved
November 25, 2015, from http://www.apa.org/topics/immigration/executivesummary.pdf
Jackson, A. (2012). Mexico to USA Migration. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from
https://geographyas.info/population/mexico-to-usa-migration/
Passel, J. (2004, March 1). Mexican Immigration to the U.S.: The Latest
Estimates. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/mexican-immigration-us-latest-estimates
Immigration Team, C. (2014, October 23). The Facts on Immigration Today. Retrieved
October 25, 2015, from
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2014/10/23/59040/t
he-facts-on-immigration-today-3/

RWS 1301

Jorge Quezada

30/11/12