Using Prevention Through Deterrence Funds to Create Jobs for Americans (Legal and Not) Lena, Undergraduate Student (UM-Dearborn) Prevention Through Deterrence has used 13.5 billion dollars a year to keep “illegal” migrants out since the nineties. But we still have triple the migrants living here since the implementation of the policy. Instead of wasting precious American dollars on a plan that isn’t working, let’s use PDT funds to create jobs for citizens and migrants already living in the U.S. For the low price of 13.5 billion dollars per year, the United States is successfully killing thousands of desperate migrants from Latin America. Despite countless economic hurdles, the United States has still managed prioritization for border security plans such as Prevention Through Deterrence (PDT), whose hefty price has still allowed eleven million unauthorized migrants to settle in the U.S. In response to Californians fed up with southern migrants sneaking into their state, PDT was created as the solution in 1994. Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) based the policy on small-scale projects that increased security around sections of the border. The success of the smaller operations led the INS to create the Prevention Through Deterrence policy to magnify border security around urban sectors of the border to detain and stop migrants from entering. For the many rural areas left unsecured on the border, Mother Nature played as large a role as the billions of dollars thrown at PDT. PDT relies on leaving only the rough natural terrains of the border unsecured by man because the U.S. believes the dangers of Mother Nature can convince migrants against crossing. PDT seems like a sound enough plan to throw billions of dollars at yearly to keep out migrants - except the policy hasn’t exactly done its job. With the fall of the Peso in the eighties, along with the many other economic problems in Mexico and Central America, migrants have become desperate enough to risk their lives to cross the dangerous terrains for economic security. Along the way, thousands have died and gone missing. What’s more, since the implementation of PDT, we have about eleven million migrants living in the U.S. Even worse than these migrants risking their lives is that after arrival, they are faced with horribly low-paying jobs that leave numerous unauthorized migrants in the “low-income” and “poor” category. Interestingly, a PewResearch poll revealed 21% of the U.S. population believe undocumented migrants take American jobs. What they don’t realize is that undocumented migrants actually take the jobs that Americans do not want - agricultural, construction, and manufacturing jobs - that Americans know pay too little for the labor required. So we all see the problem here, right? The United States is spending billions of dollars per year on a policy meant to keep undocumented migrants out. But instead, we have more undocumented migrants living here than before the implementation of the policy. As many migrants of Latin American origin are in need of finding jobs, they willingly cross dangerous terrains only to find low-wage positions, and a population hostile to their existence for taking these unwanted jobs. The billions of dollars PDT uses per year can be better allocated towards job creation in the United States. Instead of wasting American funds on ineffective border enforcement, the United States can take the yearly PDT funds to support meaningful job creation not only for the migrants already entering and living in the country, but also for American citizens. A win-win situation for both sides. For Americans hostile towards undocumented migrants “stealing” American jobs, utilizing PDT funds will supplement Americans with more job opportunities. Money will no longer be spent on a policy meant to keep out migrants who are coming in regardless. For migrants already living in the country and future migrants PDT is not stopping, the new jobs offer more opportunities. To pinpoint the exact cost of creating a job in the United States is difficult, but a blog post published by the World Bank estimates the average cost of creating a single job runs in the high tens-of-thousands range. With 13.5 billion dollars given to PDT per year, imagine how many jobs can be created, instead of supplying the funds toward an ineffective and inhumane policy. It’s time to prevent Prevention through Deterrence and its detrimental consequences. The United States needs to make better use of precious American resources supplying an unsuccessful policy and aim to use the money to provide jobs for everyone living here. References: 1. AJ+. 2 016. “Why Walls Won’t Secure the U.S.-Mexico Border.” YouTube . Retrieved August 25, 2016 (https://www.youtube.com/watch/Yh3fez9CyXg ). 2. Andreas, Peter. 2009. Border Games: Policing the U.S -Mexico Divide . 2nd ed. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. 3. Fortuny, Karina, Randy Capps, Jeffrey S. Passel. 2007. “The Characteristics of Unauthorized Immigrants in California, Los Angeles, and the United States.” The Urban Institute, March. 4. Kielty, Matt, Bethel Habte, and Latif Nasser. 2018. “Border Patrol Trilogy.” Radiolab. 5. Robalino, David. 2018. “How Much Does It Cost to Create a Job?” World Bank Blogs. Retrieved February 12, 2021 (https://blogs.worldbank.org/jobs/how-much-does-it-cost-create-job). Undocumented Migration Project. 6. “Background” Retrieved Feb 11. 2021 (https://www.undocumentedmigrationproject.org/background).
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