Photo by Kelly Sikkema on UnsplashA Pathway to Citizenship?
Maya, Undergraduate Student (UM-Dearborn) Immigrants in the United States have long been victimized, whether by the tedious healthcare system, the brutal workforce, or the spiraling education system. Instead of immigration reform proposals that frequently get swept under the rug, permanent legislative solutions would be beneficial for all. In 2020, the Current Population Survey (CPS) recorded 85.7 million immigrants, including immigrants and their U.S.-born children. Providing a pathway to citizenship can help eliminate the victimization and targeting of immigrants by predators from the system. Immigrants often face victimization in the workplace. Language barriers and unfamiliarity with the system can create an opportunity for business owners to take advantage of their employees. Immigrant are confronted with daunting barriers in the workforce, including being paid less than minimum wage or nothing at all, brutal working conditions with no restroom or lunch breaks, and difficulties joining unions. For example, as revealed in the New York Times article, “The Price of Nice Nails,” the young Asian and Hispanic women employed in New York’s nail salons often work approximately 10- to 12-hour shifts. New employees are charged to begin the job, obviously a ridiculous scam as the boss is taking advantage of the unknowing immigrants. These hardworking women would work for no wages and try to make it on the tips cheap customers give them. Salon owners exploit their employees by constant video surveillance, humiliation in front of customers, physical and emotional abuse, and having their tips taken as a “punishment.” Furthermore, these employers are rarely ever punished themselves for the inappropriate workplace behavior. In some cases, such as the nail salon in East Northport, New York, lawsuits arise for workers being underpaid, $1.50 per hour for working a 66-hour workweek. Nonetheless, these women continue to show up for work every day to make ends meet somehow. Many immigrants in the workforce are in the country without work permits or authorization if any kind. This leaves them extremely vulnerable to the hungry system. Workplace raids were heavily common under the Trump administration and had major consequences on the communities. Law enforcement, such as ICE, often cracked down on workplaces that were known to employ many undocumented immigrants. This, in turn, ended up making the workplace and its conditions very poor for the remaining employees. If the immigrants were to speak up, the risk of deportation increased therefore making them even more vulnerable and likely to keep quiet, or else they face some form of physical or emotional abuse. To eliminate this predatory behavior and victimization on immigrants, it is imperative to provide them a way out. A clear path to citizenship would prove helpful for both the immigrants and the economy. As the George W. Bush Presidential Center states, “it’s unreasonable to deport millions of people who are working, contributing, and positively impacting our communities.” One remedy would be to dramatically shorten the waiting time for immigrant visas via familial sponsorships. Completely eradicating the quotas and caps on the number of people who can come in from each country can aid to make the waiting time shorter. There is no clear reason as to why legislatures place a cap on countries. Another procedure that can be utilized is granting more people temporary worker visas which would grant them legal status. Yet, it is important to note that this would not lead to permanent residence in the United States—still, anything is better than deportation. A solution for undocumented immigrants who currently reside in the United States might look like proving that you pay your taxes in order to qualify you for some sort of visa, temporary or permanent. Research reviewed by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determined that between 50-75% of undocumented immigrants pay federal, state, and local taxes. The issue of immigration is often weaponized by politicians running for office. Yet, there is an attainable solution. Immigration reform is possible with the riddance of propaganda and emotion. Paving a pathway to citizenship for the deserving immigrants will prove healthy, both in decreasing immigration victimization and for the economy. References: 1. Anon. 2007. “The Impact of Unauthorized Immigrants on the Budgets of State and Local Governments.” Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved April 6, 2021 (https://www.cbo.gov/publication/41645). 2. Anon. n.d. “Solutions for Undocumented Immigrants: Bush Center.” Solutions for Undocumented Immigrants | Bush Center. Retrieved April 6, 2021 (https://www.bushcenter.org/publications/resources-reports/reports/immigration-white-papers/solutions-for-the-undocumented.html). 3. Batalova, Jeanne and Mary Hanna. 2021. “Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States.” Migrationpolicy.org. Retrieved April 6, 2021 (https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states-2020). 4. Kercher, Glen and Connie Kuo. 2008. “Victimization of Immigrants.” Crime Victims Institute. Retrieved April 5, 2021 (http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/ImmigrantVictimizationfinalcorrected.pdf). 5. Spiggle, Tom. 2019. “Why Workplace Abuse Plagues Undocumented Workers.” Forbes. Retrieved April 6, 2021 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomspiggle/2019/08/22/why-workplace-abuse-plagues-undocumented-workers/?sh=c34062f49b20).
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