There are many concerns regarding immigration today. Some of these involve the increased illegal immigration that is happening, while others involve the economic impact that immigration has on not only the immigrants home country but in the United States as well. Those who believe that the immigration laws should be relaxed often argue that the growing trend is globalization and not the closing off of borders. There are also those who believe that the immigration laws should be amended to effectively reduce if not eliminate immigration into America.
The problem in implanting a restrictive policy on immigration is that it runs contrary to the egalitarian principles of Democracy having to lax a policy on immigration however poses the risk of destroying the culture and heritage of America.
The answer to this problem must therefore involve compromise from both sides. For example, the government policies while not favoring certain types of immigrants must also set certain minimum requirements. An example of this would be to allow all sorts of immigrants as long as they can show that they are capable of supporting themselves and contributing to the development of America and not be a burden on taxpayers.
Another area of compromise is in the preference of citizenship. The granting of citizenship should have no preference. Needy, talented, oppressed and wealthy, should all show that they indeed deserve to be granted this privilege. A person should not be judged by what he is now but on whether or not he has the potential to become a better person or to be an upstanding American citizen.
Finally, there should be no horse-trading for the applications of certain countries. The existence of diplomatic arrangements between America and other nations is not justification to deny a person who may have a better right. “Give us your tired, your poor, you huddled masses”
