The subject of reform of immigration matters in USA took centre stage during the presidential election campaign. The democrats were accused of being soft on irregular migration and stern measures were promised by republicans to curb irregular migration.
A proper study of the US economy is necessary to determine whether the policy being implemented by the current government, in promoting voluntary departure of those without proper documentation or be subjected to arrest and deportation, has any bearing in improving the living standards of the citizens of the United States.
In all market economies jobs can be found that are usually kept outside of the official sectors so that profitability can be achieved by company owners by paying illegal immigrants low wages while working long hours just to generate surplus value. In that way, they pay huge sums of money as taxes because of not having social security numbers, and they do not enjoy any tax returns, nor do they enjoy social security benefits.
In actual terms, they keep many small businesses alive in USA, Europe, Asia and many developing countries and contribute immensely to the revenue of the government without enjoying any benefit. A wise government in today’s world would conduct research on the role of irregular immigrants in each country before taking drastic measures to deport them just because they do possess documents. Mass deportation often leads to the militarization of immigration services, which is often followed by gross violation of the rights of vulnerable groups that pose no danger to society. Instead, they are known to do the type of work that no citizen would accept to do.
Collective punishment in an imbalance world where wealth moves to one part of the world at the expense of the other should be avoided. Dumping people back to face economic deprivation is the quickest way to create worldwide disorder. More consultation is needed by the international community on this matter.
