Thesis
This paper is on the risks faced by illegal immigrants in their attempts of crossing border. We will uncover through trend who are the most common offenders in illegal immigration. Reasons why immigrants attempt to cross the border and how new reforms will affect life of those who have been deported.
Article: How Immigration Reform Will Put Migrants' Lives at Risk (Olsen & Gaffney).
For past 2 decades, border between Mexico and United States has become home for migrant death crisis. In this time, close to 6,000 immigrants have lost their life in attempt to enter United States with many more missing and never to be seen or heard from again. These deaths are consequence of military on border. Last immigration reform was addressed 26 years ago and $187 billion have been shelled out on immigration enforcement and border security. Current plan for immigration reform needs $6.5 billion investment for enforcement and security.
Reasons Immigrants Cross
Talk to any common man and ask them why they think people migrate to United States, most common answers will be: In search of better jobs, economic opportunities to support their families and them, enforcement legislation is weak. These reasons are although true but they miss out on some important aspects of life. Only economic incentives are not the major motivator to induce any honest person to break laws and non-economic factors are equally important too. People migrate illegally due to their perceptions on moral violation of United States immigration legislation, Society’s norms for illegal border trespassing and United States legal authority legitimacy.
In case someone’s kith or kin has attempted to cross border and is living better life in United States, this is one of the biggest non-economic factor for people try illegal migration. Also, some communities have past history and strong prevalence for migration as inherent part of culture which leads to youth attempts of illegal migration. Many Mexicans strongly believe that they have right to migrate to United States without their government’s approval.
“Interestingly, the vast majority—78 percent—of people says it is not okay to disobey the law when one disagreed with it. However, 55 percent says that disobeying the law is sometimes justified” (Silsby). This study gives insights into beliefs of illegal immigrants and how they justify violation of immigration legislation. This aspect gives insight into how people tend to think of themselves as humans with morality that does right things as per their own perception.
United States Border Strategy for Immigrants
Progressives have now accepted that measures taken for border security as an exchange to achieve immigration reform but we all know this compromise will lead to bloodshed along the United States border. United States border strategy is “prevention through deterrence” which makes scenario of illegal migration as shockingly painful as possible. Mechanisms installed are surveillance towers, interior checkpoints, border fencing and drones along with minor armed force of 22,000 agents for border patrol. The biggest issue is this policy has not decreased the rate at which people attempt migration but has alarmingly increased the death rate along the United States border.
Humanitarians and their Effort
Humanitarians attempt aid workers with policy of “No More Deaths/No Más Muertes” to mitigate results due to prevailing border policy in Arizona. They hike in desert and provide water and food to migrants, Medicare to injured people and attempts to look for those who are reported missing. The prospect of immigration reform proposed has humanitarian clutching their toes. With 11 Million unauthorized immigrants looking for status and security to ensure they stay with their families, humanitarians have a lot on their plate. With Billions more being invested in enforcement and border security impact of destruction will only increase in coming time.
Border militarization and its impact can be seen on people who are injured and abandoned in Arizona desert. Helicopters of border patrol hover on migrant groups which make them scatter in different directions. Many of the migrants are left behind by guides who plan to move swiftly across the desert which is in continuous surveillance of United Stated border patrol.
Distance which is required to cross has also increased significantly by border militarization to ensure crossing border is much harder as in 90s crossing border took only few hours but now with border militarization in place this area has increased to 100 miles which can take many days, weeks or even months to pass.
Illegal Immigration - Worth the hassle
Despite this migrants still attempt to pass border illegally and people will keep in continuing this providing they have convincing reasons to attempt to depart their home seeking better lives in United States. Reform bill has not addressed the reasons which enforce people to migrate to north. These reasons include intervention of United States in Latin America democracy process and supporting of corrupt regimes, agreements of free trade (CAFTA-DR and NAFTA), Drug wars in between enriched cartels, Persecution of indigenous people like queers, women, and people of variant gender by United States allies and toleration of abuse of human rights.
There is no reform to address fate of immigrants from Central America who are majority of total population which crosses border. Over the years Honduran population has increased alarmingly in desert and most of them are fleeing their country which boasts highest rate of murder in world.
Government installed in Honduras by coup of military and drug cartels infiltrate all levels of Honduras society, these people get support of United States military. In case they are repatriated they might get murdered for attempted immigration to United States.
Asylum is offered to individuals who submit credible evidence at United States, Hondurans in such cases have only 7 percent rate of acceptance to get asylum in United States. United States Government is unwilling to acknowledge political abuses of Honduras their regional ally. Increase in border militarization can lead to greater risk on the lives of individuals as injured people might avoid calling ambulance to medical attention as they are well aware they can get in custody of border patrol and future deportation.
Illegal Immigration – Trends
Many young children crossing border has greatly increased in past few months as per the records from Border Patrol services. More than 21,000 immigrants of minor age which are mostly unaccompanied have been detained by authorities in past few months alone at the southwest border of United States and Mexico. This is an increase of 48 percent over the last year numbers. Many of these minor left their parents at home while some were attempting to reunite with their families who live in United States illegally.
This figure is alarming as Latin America’s overall migration especially Mexican population has been lowest in last two decades. Majorly immigrant population of minors from Mexico has been increasing and minors from countries like Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have more than double over last year. Policy changes of United States and Mexico have failed to deter illegal immigration’s surge. Majority of these migrants are teenaged population from Central America and Mexico looking for work and safety in United States. Minors from Mexico are quickly deported without court proceedings and minors from non-neighboring nations get charged and detained.
A Recent report from Vera Institute of Justice has found close to 40 percent minors who were unaccompanied were eligible for some sort of immigration status. In case young migrants were Human trafficking victims, neglected and abused to severity at home they could gain legal status. In some cases, their relatives who live in United States legally can sponsor these minors. There have been some cases where children were found to be citizens of United States but they had no idea of it. Unaccompanied Minors who were detained have seen given better conditions in recent years. Some of them even recall their years in detention as the best time of their lives.
Conclusion
Illegal immigrants faced the risk of their own life and being labeled as felons in the eye of United States in case they caught and prosecuted. Lately Unaccompanied minors are the most common offenders in attempting to cross borders. People attempt to cross the border for monetary reasons like better lives, economic benefits for their family and them and non-monetary reasons like Following in family footsteps, rekindling with family living in United States illegally among other reasons. New reforms will increase the border militarization and will lead to stricter regime and punishment for offenders and the people who have managed to stay in United States are secure for the time but the ones who have been deported have no way back.
References
Preston, J. Young and Alone, Facing Court and Deportation. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/us/more-young-illegal-immigrants-face-deportation.html. nytimes.com. Web. 2012
Gaffney C & Olsen K M. How Immigration Reform Will Put Migrants' Lives at Risk. http://www.thenation.com/article/174756/how-immigration-reform-will-put-migrants-lives-risk#. thenation.com. Web. 2013
Silsby G. WHY PEOPLE TAKE THE RISK OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. http://www.futurity.org/why-people-take-the-risk-of-illegal-immigration/. Futurity.org. Web. 2013
Schenker M B. Migration and Occupational Health: Understanding the Risks. http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=856. migrationinformation.org. Web. 2011
