Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION TO IMMIGRATION
The United States is the third most populous nation on earth. Have you ever wondered where most of this population comes from? The answer is immigration! According to the 2016 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, the United States admitted 1.18 million legal immigrants in 2016. More than a 20 percent increase in the US population that year resulted from immigration. In this article, we’ll explore the impact of immigration on the United States, including its benefits, controversies, and policies.
Impact of Immigration: Immigration affects two primary segments of life: economy and social well-being. Economically, research indicates that immigration benefits the United States economy. However, some people consider it a threat because low-skilled natives have to compete with the immigrating population for job opportunities. Socially, immigration has played a critical role in the dilution and changes in the culture of the United States to the point that some individuals have felt that it is a threat to the need to maintain ethnic homogeneity.
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IMPACT OF IMMIGARATION
Immigration affects two primary segments of life: economy and social well-being. Economically, research indicates that immigration benefits the United States economy. However, some people consider it a threat because low-skilled natives have to compete with the immigrating population for job opportunities. Socially, immigration has played a critical role in the dilution and changes in the culture of the United States to the point that some individuals have felt that it is a threat to the need to maintain ethnic homogeneity.
EFFECTS OF IMMIGRATION
Immigrants have become a primary source of population growth in the United States and other powerful western countries such as Australia and Canada. The primary reason for immigration is that people worldwide seek better economic and social opportunities to thrive. However, there are mixed findings on its effects on the low-skilled natives. Critics argue that immigrants take up the opportunities of the low-skilled natives, making the low-skilled native more frustrated with life and more likely to turn to criminal activities.
IMMIGRATION POLICIES
As the issue of immigrants becomes more and more controversial, the issue of immigration has always dominated most political campaigns in American history. Several policy changes have been made to deal with the issue, including the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. It was meant to protect the economic interest of the United States citizens and reduce the number of illegal immigrants by making it illegal to knowingly hire illegal immigrants by establishing financial and other penalties for companies that employed illegal immigrants.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF IMMIGRATION VISAS
Legal immigrants enter the United States by obtaining immigration visas, primarily of two types. Nonimmigrant visas are given to those seeking temporary stays such as for tourism, business, family visits, study, work, or transit. Immigrant visas are given to those seeking permanent residence in the United States. One famous immigrant visa is obtained through the Green Card, which is won by people worldwide primarily through a lottery.
CONCLUSION
While it is difficult to convince everyone that immigration is good for our country, there are enough research findings to support this argument. However, it is also important to regulate the rate of immigration to ensure that the country does not lose its identity and for security purposes. This is the essence of having the immigration laws provided in the constitution of the United States of America.