Immigration Scholarship: History, Trends and Development in Global Immigration
Files
Date of Submission
May 2022
Semester
Spring 2022
Class
Article
Professor Name
Dr. Ghosh, Sabnam
Publication Date
Spring 7-31-2022
Abstract
The immigration policy of The United States of America is a divisive topic within American society. There is no doubt that this policy needs reform. This paper will investigate the ways in which The U.S. immigration policy at the Southern border negatively impacts those seeking asylum and will conclude with suggested policy changes that would potentially have the greatest positive impact on these individuals. Ever since 2016 media outlets have declared war on people crossing the southern border illegally. Media giants such as Fox News have repeatedly grouped those individuals within the same constructs as rapists, gang members, drug smugglers, and human traffickers. The ratings regarding Fox news have risen since 2016, and now it has become the number one media outlet in America. The News influences public perception which in turn puts pressure on politicians to create a policy to mitigate the concerns of US citizens. Similarly, politicians have used fearmongering to impact policy that negatively affects those attempting to seek asylum at the US southern border. Both President Trump and President Barack Obama are quoted as referring to those entering the country illegally at the Southern border as criminals. When a powerful public figure groups people into derogatory categories, such as “criminal”, this creates an irrational response by the supportive political base. Historically fear-mongering is very effective in changing societal perception, unjustifiably, which again, pressures politicians to create a policy to mitigate those concerns. This paper’s justification for these claims will come from the review of scholarly journals, media reports, Presidential press conferences, and popular sources. After interviewing subject matter experts on immigration with two predetermined questions, “How does current U.S. immigration policy negatively affect those seeking asylum at the southern border” and “What changes to current policy could positively impact the majority of those seeking asylum”, this paper will suggest specific changes to policy with the intention of creating the greatest positive impact for those seeking asylum at the U.S. southern border. This paper proposes that strong and effective bipartisan immigration policies are necessary to preserve the rights of those who are genuinely seeking asylum in the United States. The perception of American society upon those seeking asylum within the United States needs progressive change. The leaders of the most powerful nation in the world must work to create immigration reform that allows those genuinely seeking asylum in The United States to receive refuge within this great country. The time is now, and change must happen.
Keywords
Immigration, immigration reform, migrant, impacts of immigration, immigration policy, asylum seekers
Theme
Immigration Reform
Disciplines
Engineering | Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences