Immigration Debate

As the race for the White House moves steadily along, the issue of immigration is brought up time and time again. What is the solution to this ever-increasing problem? Is it a problem at all? Are the current laws sufficient, or do we need reform? The answer is not as simple, or as black and white as some would have you believe. According to the United States Border Patrol, it is estimated that between 12 and 15 million illegal aliens reside in the U.S. currently. That number is rising at a rate of roughly 500,000 per year. That's just about 1 per minute. What impact do these people have on the country? Well, one side argues that they take jobs Americans don't want. Most employers of unskilled labor will tell you that immigrants from Mexico and South American countries are generally hard working people. They are only here because of the disparity between the quality of life in their home countries, and here in America. On the other hand, many contend that illegal immigrants pose a security risk, as well as cause economic damage to the country by generally not paying taxes, and using our medical system even when they cannot pay for the services they use. There is hardly any way to deny the security risk associated with 500,000 people entering this country per year, all of whom we know nothing about. While the majority of the country agrees that it is unacceptable for our borders to be so wide open, our federal government seems to not want to truly address this issue. In the recent Democratic debate for the Presidency, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton both stated that while they opposed a fence for the whole length of the U.S. - Mexico border, they were in favor of physical barriers in tactical places, and reliance on technology and advanced monitoring for the other areas. This seems to be a step in the right direction for the Democratic candidates, as they finally are addressing the issue with the angle that most Americans have - We need to stop this tide of illegal immigrants as soon as possible. We can argue about the economic boost for business' having the ability to hire more workers at lower wages versus the economic hit we, as Americans, take by allowing illegal immigrants to use the emergency room as general health-care, pay in state college tuition, have free or reduced school lunches, use after school programs, etc. Generally economists conclude that there is a need for seasonal unskilled workers which can come from Mexico, but the effect of illegal immigrants is a toll financially on the United States, not to mention the security risks. As we prepare to vote a new President into office, we as the voting public need to ensure we elect a candidate that is not going to allow the border to be over run as it has been for far too long. Whether a Democratic or Republican candidate can end this invasion remains to be seen.