Us vs. Them: Criminalizing Immigrants
Anonymous, Undergraduate Student (UM-Dearborn) Is it surprising that there are laws in place to specifically govern the behavior and participation of immigrants in US society? Probably not. However, it may come as a surprise to learn that while being in the U.S illegally is not a crime in itself, many local, state, and federal laws criminalize immigrants. This leads to the increased policing of immigrant communities and the increased politicization of immigrant lives. The only solution to the problem is to change the policies and regulations. As Ackerman and Furman (2014) explain, “The criminalization of immigration and political strategies thus serve as a pacification strategy that not only deflects attention from the real source of economic or social problems, but it also labels immigrants as an economic and social threat.” Immigration is a federal matter, but states and local jurisdictions have passed a number of anti-immigrant laws over the years that severely limit immigrants’ ability to participate in everyday life. The separation of “us” and “them” is contributing to a deep divide in America. We are all human beings in the end. Why is the United States so mean to immigrants when this country is built on immigrants' backs? They made this country. Why are immigrants looked at as a threat is a real question? While not wanting to allow a large number of immigrants into the country at a time may be an understandable concern, why deport someone to a country they may not even know just because they don't have the proper paperwork? Especially when getting that paperwork (i.e. visas, green cards, naturalization) takes a long time as it is. While changing federal immigration policy may be challenging, the decriminalization of immigrants at the state and local level—including the elimination of discriminatory anti-immigrant policies—is a step in the right direction. References: 1. Ackerman, Alissa R., and Rich Furman. 2014. The Criminalization of Immigration: Contexts and Consequences. NC: Carolina Academic Press.
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