Tag Archives: undocumented immigrants

My opinion about the situation of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

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by Ryota Takatsuka

In class, we discussed about people who have no legal passport in the U.S. Before this class, I was not familiar with this problem. The reason why the guy who appeared the video we saw (Jose Antonio Vargas) does not have a legal passport is that his parents brought him when he was a baby and made fake passport. According to the video, generally those who have fake passport realize that truth when they go to driving school at 16 years old. They were revealed by reception that this is fake passport and you should not come here anymore. No identification prevents those people to try many things. In his case, he could not travel overseas, and he hid his secret and he lived in fear of being arrested. My opinion against this problem is that country should support them to fit the country. There are two supporting reasons why I think that way.

The first reason is that through supporting immigrants America can be a model country in terms of diversity. In this world there still severe ethnic or cultural conflicts. They argue that what ethnic group is suitable as ruler or what culture should be promoted. However, under the globalization, it is nonsense to think that way. Accepting cause diversity into America automatically, and if America set some good policy to immigrants and achieve leading this movement toward growth of the country, whole world may accept diversity and globalization will move to more high level than scientist expect now.

The second reason is that rejecting the undocumented ruins their opportunity or talents. In fact, the guy is now famous journalist in America, however, before his ability admired, he had to give up chances to step up such as going to coverage to another country which has potential to make his career better because of illegal passport. There are many people who have same disadvantage for their future. In other words there must have been talented person who ruined their gift and forced to fade out from society. Preparing enough environments for immigrant will give chance for them to contribute to American society.

To sum up, according to the documentary, many immigrants face obstacle to fit into American society such as language barrier and parting from their family. As generally regarded, there is severe competition in American society and people can achieve the American dream. However, under the policy of the U.S, the starting point of the competition is not even. In order to make circulation of contribution system that was mentioned above, the U.S has to consider immigrants as precious investment for the future.

Is the dream act a good solution for undocumented immigrants in the US?

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by Ryohei Sugiyama

The DREAM Act is a law that was suggested in the US in 2000. The purpose of this law is to give young illegal immigrants the opportunity to get a higher education. In the US for a long time the treatment toward young illegal immigrants has been one of the largest sections of immigrant problems. Many of the young illegal immigrants do not have consciousness that they are illegal immigrants. They were taken with their parents and grew up most of their lives in the US. Therefore, there are few differences between these people and American citizens. Nevertheless, these do not get appropriate supports. At this point, the DREAM Act is the progress of the immigrant problem in the US.

If the DREAM Act is approved, young illegal immigrants can have the opportunity to live in the US legally. This is very good point of this law. Today there are a lot of illegal immigrants in the US. They are paying large amount of taxes each year, and actually they have a large influence on the economy of the US. Nevertheless, they get unfair treatment like not entering higher-level schools or not getting jobs because of their illegalness. Especially there is no reason for young immigrants to get unfair treatment. So long as there is no reason, the young illegal immigrants should get the same opportunity as the legal people in the US.

On the other hand, there are a few negative points in the DREAM Act. The article about the military is one of the examples of the negative points. In older for young illegal immigrants to get the legal status there are mainly two choices: one is the entering higher-level school for two years after graduating from high school in the US, and the other is the joining the military. Many of the young immigrants hope to advance a grade, however they sometimes cannot do it because they do not have enough money. In this case in older to get legal status they have to join the military. They may be sent to Iraq and be forced to engage in hard actions. In my opinion, it is an inhumane act. They have to get wounds so as to get rights.

In this way the DREAM Act has some good points and bad points. Therefore, I partly agree with this law and partly disagree. Bad points, of course, should be changed. For instance, in my idea, instead of joining the military, they should engage in public enterprises such as cleaning streets or works at public places. However, it is true that the government of the US intends to tackle with the problems of illegal immigrants. Dream act is the expression of the attitude of the government, and the governments should continue to tackle with the problems of illegal immigrants sincerely and positively.

References

Dream Act Portal. Retrieved June 26, 2013 from http://dreamact.info/

Is the dream act good for the US? Retrieved June 26th 2013 from http://shimamyuko.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/ドリーム法案は米経済にプラスかマイナスか？/#more-3416

Keep Having Friends

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by Kensuke Ikeda

I saw a documentary movie about young boy as undocumented immigrants on TV called “Nihon de Kurashitai: Huhou Taizai Kazoku no Kizuna” (We want to live in Japan: the bounds of family who are undocumented and overstay). In the movie the young boy said “please leave me in Japan, I cannot speak other language and I don’t have any friends in another country”. I realized uneasiness of the undocumented immigrants because his speech is so honest and so direct.

In Japan there are many undocumented immigrants, and some of them are children. They don’t have decision to leave in Japan or to return to “home” country where they have never lived. They should return home country by legal steps. Also, they force to return the country instantly. Japanese government takes care of undocumented people because they will do terrorism and have relation to group of drug peddler. I understand the stance of the Japanese government, but the legal steps are too tactless to ignore other undocumented immigrants who are useful for improving the Japanese economy.

These ineffective legal steps have the room to improve. I suggest that these legal steps are used by the Internet. If undocumented immigrants get approval of stay, they can stay in Japan as have been the way until now. However, they need long process to take the approval because the official apply is tiresome. If they can get temporary approval by the internet apply, they may need not to immediately return home county and they can submit their official document for immigrants. Also, if they cannot stay in Japan, they have some time for preparing to live other country, for example children can learn other language and adult can find the job in other country. The internet gives undocumented immigrants time to pass the legal steps.

However, the use of the internet for apply is dangerous because the apply may be not appropriate on legal. For instance, terrorist can make the stay time in Japan long, and then they can plan the terrorism without haste. In short, the crime people also have time to prepare next crime and escape. For this problem, the governments should strict for immigration by passport. To begin with, these crime people should not come in Japan. It is important that people who come in Japan are terrorist or not and drug peddler or not. Young undocumented immigrants deliberately make crime as overstay. I think the Japanese government should give them the room to think next life. They don’t need to lose their friends and their country.

References

“Nihon de Kurashitai: Huhou Taizai Kazoku no Kizuna” (We want to live in Japan: the bounds of family who are undocumented and overstay).2000. Fuji TVstation. http://www.fujitv.co.jp/b_hp/fnsaward/backnumber/back/00-167.html

HP of Kayamori Office. http://www.geocities.jp/a_kayamori/index.html

DREAM Act for the future of undocumented youth

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by Kim Jina

Immigrants could be classified in two groups, legal immigrants and undocumented immigrants. There are over 30 million legal immigrants in the United States. On the other hand, no one exactly knows how many undocumented immigrants are in the United States. There is only the estimated number of undocumented immigrants in the United States and it is 11 million. Undocumented immigrants in the United States are confronted with various situations. Among them, many young people have no idea why they are undocumented immigrants, because they live most of their life in the United States, have lots of American friends, and attend American schools. Most of them were brought to the United States when they were young by their parents. Some of them realized that they are undocumented immigrants when they had to prepare their passport for a school trip or tried to get a driver’s license.

They fall deep into despair with the fact that they are undocumented immigrants because they are not supposed to be in the United States where there is almost their whole life. If they are forced to go back to their home country, it is like they lose almost everything in their life.

The DREAM Act began in 2001 for giving chance to live legally in the United States to certain immigrants. The certain immigrants with good moral character would be granted temporary residency, if they meet some requirements of the DREAM Act. The requirements is that heir age must be at least 15 but less than 31, they must graduate from American high school, they arrived in the United States as minors, and they lived in the United States continuously for at least five years. Plus, if they complete two years in the military or two years at a four years’ institution of higher learning, they could gain conditional permanent residency for a six-year period and at the end of the six-year conditional period, they would be allowed to become legal U.S. citizens.

Every year, almost 65,000 undocumented students graduate from American high schools and most of them want to have higher education or join the military. However, with their illegal status, they cannot make their dreams come true. Of course, there is some criticism regarding this DREAM Act. They said that it is unfair to legal immigrants and it would create additional illegal immigrants. However, it is not like what the critics said, because the DREAM Act requires strict conditions.

In 2012, the president Barack Obama announced the administration would accept request for the DREAM Act. Even if they are classified into undocumented immigrants, they did not know that they were breaking the law and almost their whole life is in the United States. What is more, they think they are the U.S. citizen. Many of them are brilliant and their talents could contribute to the growth of American economy. It could be considered in a positive way. Hence, DREAM Act should be more supported to give opportunities to young undocumented immigrants for their future in the United States.

Undocumented Immigrants and Labor in the U.S.

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by Kanami Hirokawa

The U.S is a multiracial country and has a lot of immigrants. Although it is said that the number of immigrants who come to the U.S is about 12 million, we can guess that more immigrants come to the U.S because they are undocumented immigrants and the sure number can not be counted. Moreover, many of the immigrants who come to the U.S are Hispanics who come from South America, especially from Mexico. This paper first describes the problems and influences about undocumented immigrants in the U.S, then examines the relationship between the undocumented immigrants and the labor in the U.S, and finally explores the future policy on the undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

First is the problem and influences about undocumented immigrants in the U.S. As this paper shows before, millions of undocumented immigrants live in the U.S illegally and a large percent of them is Hispanic. In fact, about 60 percent of undocumented immigrants who come to the U.S are Mexican. However, these days the number of Mexican undocumented immigrants who come to the U.S is declining. The reason of declining the immigrants from Mexico has many causes. For example, Mexico is developing more, and the border between the U.S and Mexico is enforced.

Second is the relationship between the undocumented immigrants and the labors in the U.S. The U.S relies on immigrants with regard to cheap labor such as housekeepers, farmers and so on. These cheap labors are called 3K labors. However, with the decline in the number of immigrants, some areas in the U.S get damages and influences. The state of Georgia is one of the areas which get damages. It is said that 75 percent of farm workers in Georgia are undocumented immigrants and because of the shortage of farm workers, Georgia suffered a reduction of 391 million dollars of crops. The undocumented immigrants in Georgia support the bottom of economics in the state. Therefore, the U.S is facing on the problems of the shortage of people who are cheap labor workers.

At last, the paper explores whether the U.S will get along with undocumented immigrants in the future or not. In some places of the U.S, especially in Arizona, people begin to complain about undocumented immigrants. In Arizona, some estimate that 500,000 people are undocumented immigrants, meaning that one out of ten residents in Arizona is an undocumented immigrant. The citizens in Arizona are forced the hard life because of the economic depression. However, in such a situation the money for social security is used for undocumented immigrants. Moreover, people worry about deterioration of public order. In Arizona the law that undocumented immigrants must emigrate forcibly was made by the assembly. Against this, Obama began the policy that Obama gives young undocumented immigrants the civil rights. Of course, to enter the country without receiving the visa is guilty. However, U.S makes the construction that the economy of the U.S must rely on undocumented immigrants. Furthermore, the new policy made by Obama creates new undocumented immigrants because people think that the U.S receives undocumented immigrants willingly. Therefore, although the number of the Mexican undocumented immigrants is declining, many undocumented immigrants from the world will come to the U.S. This has dangerous aspects.

References

Close up Gendai[Close up the Present Day]. (2010). NHK Online. Retrieved June 26, 2013 from http://www.nhk.or.jp/gendai/kiroku/detail_2942.html

Huhouiminn no Gensyou[The Declining of Undocumented Immigrants]. (n.d.). Sumitomo Hudousann. Retrieved June 26, 2013 from http://www.nandemo-america.com/mobile/?p=23313

DREAM Act a solution for undocumented immigrants

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by Yurika Chiba

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mexican Americans were 10.8% of the population of the United States in 2011. There is a huge number of immigrants from Mexico in the U.S. because the distance is very close between Mexico and the U.S. In addition to Mexican immigrants, America has more than 50,000,000 immigrants. However, it is a fact that America has also a lot of “undocumented immigrants.” One of the reasons is that the pay in America is better than that in their home countries. But, why are they “undocumented”? In America, it is hard for foreigners to get VISA.

ALBS JAPAN explains that the American government does not want to increase the number of immigrants because it thinks that undocumented immigrants cause American economy a great loss. In addition, America pays careful attention to immigration after 9.11 attacks. I think that the system of immigration intake in America has a problem to increase the number of undocumented immigrants.

Of course, they are illegal immigrants because they do not have the permission to get into America. However, some undocumented immigrants are doing jobs which American citizens do not want to like the 3Ds: Dirty, Dangerous and Difficult. In fact, their workings sustain the American economy even though some American citizens discriminate against them. It is clear that a lot of undocumented immigrants have a hard time in America.

How about their children, called “undocumented children”? They do not have their own passport. They can’t prove their nationality and can’t work legally. It is difficult for them to get their own driver licenses. Before they graduate from the high school, they can take the education. However, entering the university is difficult for them because most state university do not accept their entrance and they do not have enough money to enter the private university. That is why college-going rate of undocumented immigrants is really low. I watched the video about Jose Antonio Vargas whose parents are undocumented immigrants during the class. He hadn’t known he was an undocumented immigrant until he was 16 years old. After that, he has lived in America with hiding his citizenship. He is talented. But, he could not do an internship because he did not have American citizenship. In other word, he missed a lot of chances to do what he wanted. I think these children should be given the equal opportunity to live in America because they are innocent.

In order to help these children, the American government has suggested the “DREAM Act”, the idea of giving the right of living in America. Recently, the president of America, Obama, promotes this bill. It provides permanent residency to undocumented children. For example, the condition of application is given to people who enter into America until 16 years old and have lived in there for more than 5 years. Even though there are some more conditions to apply it, this bill is really beneficial to undocumented children. However, it has not passed yet in the U.S. If it does, undocumented immigrants who contribute to America would increase more and more. I think that this bill will give advantages to both American government and undocumented children.

On the other hand, opponents against DREAM Act insist that undocumented immigrants should get the green card by the legal process. They also explain that the opportunities of having green card should be equal to legal immigrants. However, in my opinion, undocumented immigrants do not have equal opportunities from the beginning. For undocumented immigrants, having the green card is much harder than other immigrants. I think DREAM Act has very important role to correct the gap between undocumented children and documented children because they did not do wrong at all.

In conclusion, the problem of undocumented immigrants in America should be solved as soon as possible. I do not mean that American government has to force undocumented immigrants to away from the U.S. Rather, American government should consider the policy which these immigrants can live in there at ease. As one of the solution, DREAM Act needs to pass for undocumented children. If undocumented children can have the right of permanent residency, next generation can live in America as American citizens. I believe that it would lead to a positive outcome for undocumented immigrants.

 

References

U.S. Census Bureau:

Retrieving June 23, 2013 from

http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk

ALBS JAPAN: Retrieving June 24, 2013 from http://www.usavisa.jp/howto/faq_visa07.html

NYT, Mexican Data Show Migration to U.S. in Decline: Retrieving June 24, 2013 from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/us/15immig.html?pagewanted=all

NYT, My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant: Retrieving June 24, 2013 from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/magazine/my-life-as-an-undocumented-immigrant.html?pagewanted=all

Undocumented Immigrants

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by Yokoyama Yuu

The U.S. receives a lot of immigrants and there are many undocumented immigrants – about twelve million people. Today, undocumented immigrants also come in Japan. Each immigrant has the reason they cannot return their home country. For example, there are some children who do not know that they are undocumented till they try to get their driver license or university application. Although they love their country as well as other citizens, they always have the fear that they will be arrested and deported from their home country. On the other hand, there are some people who suggest it. Today, Japan also tends to deport undocumented immigrants – about a half million foreign people are taken in prison as illegal residence every year and Japan forces to deport them. It is cruel that undocumented immigrants are forced to be arrested and deported although they are innocent, isn’t it?

However, there are also problems for allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in. First, some immigrants who can get the status of residence desperately feel it is not equal that illegal ones can live without such effort. Second, some people are worried about that the job for citizens will decrease because illegal immigration works very low salary. For example, in U.S. about 5% of labor population depends on illegal immigration. Many undocumented immigration works in agricultural business. Third, if the country allows undocumented immigrants to stay without limit, it will be difficult to count the population of immigrants and the investigation of crime foreigners will become hard. This makes society worse.

In human view point, some people think government should not deport illegal people because some American has immigrant friends. Obama suggested new policy which allows illegal immigrant to stay in U.S. for two years. Thus, U.S. progress the direction to protect of immigration rights. However, we have to also consider if we receive many immigrants, how the society of the country will become.

I think Japan should give more chance for undocumented immigrants like the U.S. For example, Japan allows undocumented immigrants to work and if they can work well and success, gives states of residence forever having some conditions such as renewal of states once a year. Japan can let illegal immigration for the business which Japanese people do not want to such as agribusiness, caring for old people and train immigrants so that they can learn professional technique and work in the Japanese companies of foreign local place. It will increase the profit of Japan. They enter the country to earn money to live, so Illegal immigration has the motivation to work. In this way, immigrant may give Japan benefits. It will lead the “Dream Act” of Japan.

Undocumented immigrants in the United States

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by Naoko Yamada

In 2012 Barack Obama announced that some young illegal immigrants be allowed temporary status and work permits, that is, it will stop deportations and begin granting work permits for some Dream Act-eligible students. According to article of DHS, “undocumented immigrants who came to the United States under the age of 16 and have lived in the country for at least five years can apply for the relief, so long as they are under the age of 30.”

In 2012, an estimated 11.9 million undocumented immigrants resided in the United States without legal procedure. Moreover more than 70% of them are from Middle and South America, especially from Mexico, and they are called “Hispanic”. In Los Angeles where a lot of undocumented immigrants the number of immigrants is rising steadily.  The greater part of inhabitants is opposed to Obama’s policy however actually immigrant’s labor force is very important part to support American society.

The United States is a country of immigrants, and it is true that undocumented immigrants support society and economic. For example the greater part of labors is undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Because of this policy, many immigrants with hope will go to United States.

For young immigrants, it would be quite good announcement because they  are suffered from problems that they don’t have legal status. Also immigrant’s children are innocent, and they had no choice to refuse to move to U.S. I think if government strengthen control of immigrant who are living in U.S., American society would damage. So I think U.S. should accept immigrants who are living now in U.S. and adopt policy for immigrants like Obama’s policy. And then government should strengthen the enforcement of laws against new immigrants.

Refugees Tomorrow

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by Satomi Toba

Through the classes, I’ve learned that the difficulties which undocumented people experienced in their ‘home’ country. As we watched in a documentary film, those people cannot be supplied driving license, national health insurance. In Japan, there is another big burden: more than anything else, those people are not allowed to work while the application for refugee status term. It means that they cannot earn money for their living cost. Then, how can they live under the harsh situation? After I think about this, I come up with two ideas. In this report, I’ll try to write down my opinions over the big, important issue.

I know that those undocumented people, refugees have stayed a country illegally, usually without formal extended visa. Thus, they originally break the law. At the same time, they were exiled their native country because of some political problems and they couldn’t get formal documents regarding their refugee status from the government. It is also applied to their passport. If they get their own passport through ‘black’ route, to stop an inflow of refugees seems to be mostly impossible. It is out of a country’s responsibility. Then, what is a responsibility that the host country has to take? I think it is to take care about the refugees healthy. We must not overlook that they are human beings as we are. They have a right to live like we do. That is why I think the health insurance should be enjoyed by all people.

The second point is not regarding government, but that there are some nonprofit organizations which help refugees in Japan. For example, there is an organization, called Japan Association for Refugees (JAR). That organization holds lectures about refugees in Japan for university students and supports them by making a network in refugee’s neighborhood. Relationships with other people have big meanings for refugees, because most of them don’t have any relatives in the host country and in an emergency case, they cannot ask help to the others. To reinforce the connection, we, the receiving country’s people will be better to learn more about refugees. As I knew little about them before I joined this class, there will be a lot of people who don’t know well or don’t have interests in them. I think this big issue won’t be solved until the society is changed by supports from as much as many people.

Reference

Japan Association for Refugees: http://www.refugee.or.jp/

Undocumented Immigrants

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by Tomoka Otani

As we studied about the undocumented immigrants, I learned that there are various kinds of undocumented immigrants in the world. Firstly, undocumented immigrants in Japan and the current situation of illegal entrance to Japan will be described. Secondly, undocumented immigrants in the United States and the current situation of the country will be described as well. Thirdly, solutions for illegal entrance and the conclusion will be written. This essay focuses on undocumented immigrants who were brought to other countries when they were children

The number of undocumented immigrants in Japan is increasing and in 2008, there were over 20 thousand illegal immigrants. There are many illegal immigrants whose visa had expired and overstaying in Japan, however, in recent years, the number of immigrants who entered the country with fake passports are increasing. As we learned about the case of “Noriko” whose parents were from the Philippines and used fake passports to get in the country in order to have better lives in Japan, we need to rethink how difficult it is for undocumented children to deal with the problem.

There are over a million people who are entering in the United States illegally per year and its 80 % are from Mexico. As I lived in Southern California for a year, I know some undocumented people who are from Mexico. One of my classmates was child when she came to America and she did not have any idea that she was undocumented until she applied for a driver’s license. I did not have much knowledge about illegal immigrants at that time; however, I realized that this is one of the most serious problems in the United States. I could not do anything for her and it was depressing for both of us. When I studied about undocumented children in the class, I instantly thought of her. I learned that there are many undocumented children like her in the United States and they are dealing with the problems that were caused not by their choice.

In order to reduce the number of illegal immigrants, as for Japan, since it is not connected with any other countries by land, I think it is important to strengthen passport check at the airport because most of undocumented people who intentionally enter Japan illegally have fake passports. I do not know how it is difficult to make fake passports or to recognize them; however, I think it is the fastest and easiest ways to eliminate illegal entrance to Japan.

As for the United States, I think it is more difficult to decrease the number of undocumented immigrants because it is next to other countries like Mexico and Canada. People could just walk or drive illegally into the United States. In order to decrease the number of illegal immigrants who enter the nation from neighbor countries, the government should double the guards of border crossing. I think this is the only solution to eliminate illegal entrance to the U.S.

The biggest problem of all is that how should the government treat the undocumented people who entered the country when they were children and brought to another country by their parents choice. I personally think that the governments should give some kind of legal status to the children because they did not have any idea when they were brought to the other countries. Some people might say that this system increase the number of undocumented immigrants in order to provide their children with legal status, however, I do not think there are better solution for undocumented children. I think they have the right to live equally and right to receive the opportunities in order to enjoy their lives.