Illegal Immigration Essay Research Paper Throughout the

Illegal Immigration Essay, Research Paper

Throughout the united States of America there is a phenomena occurring in nine specific areas. These areas are known as the Nine Nations of North America. Contrary to what the title says of this phenomena the nine nations are nine different states within the United States of America. These states are California, New York, Texas, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, Illinois, and Arizona but what makes them the nine nations is the amount of immigrants in these states. These immigrants are not just from Mexico and Latin America but from all over the world with the former Soviet Union being the leader in migrants to the U.S. To examine the problem that arises with mass immigration I turn my focus to California. San Diego, California is a first hand look at the effects of interborder commerce as well as the conflicts that have arisen throughout the years. My focus takes a look at Operation gatekeeper and the economic impact of illegal immigration on California and San Diego.

California is home to more than 1.8 million illegal immigrants (nearly 5.6% of our total state population). An additional 125,000 cross the border to settle into California each year. California is mandated by the federal government to provide education and emergency health care to illegal immigrants as well as to provide custody and supervision of illegal immigrant felons (11). Not only is the state and federal government having a difficult time preventing illegal immigrants from entering the country, they are having an even more difficult time dealing with them once they are in the country. The U.S. Constitution designates immigration policy as an exclusive federal responsibility; yet, California tax payers are expected to foot a bill of over $3.5 billion in state costs for services through illegal immigrants for the FY 1995-1996 (3). Of the total, $2.65 billion is for federally mandated activities. These costs come at the expense of the State being able to provide much-needed services to legal residents.

The decreased value of the Mexican Peso is partially to blame for the increase in illegal border crossing. Illegal immigrants come to the Unites States in hopes to find an education for themselves or their children, to find work, and to better their daily lives. By coming to the United States, immigrants are given a chance to attend public schools, receive emergency health care, and other public services. Immigrants know that they will have a greater chance of making a living in America and stand to loose very little for failure, so they migrate north in search of that American Dream (10).

The Clinton administration has taken action to deal with and prevent illegal immigration. One such action was the creation of Operation Gatekeeper. Operation Gatekeeper began in late 1994, and was designed to dramatically reduce the number of successful illegal border crossings. Operation Gatekeeper provided $500 million to border states for the purpose of hiring over 100 new border patrol agents, purchasing new vehicles, and other surveillance equipment. Under Operation Gatekeeper the government directly reduces illegal immigration by placing myriad personnel and equipment on the border with the purpose of detecting and apprehending illegal border crossers (1).

The operation mainly controlled by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and uses the assistance of other federal, state, and local law enforcement and immigration agencies, as well as some military units. Another strategy Operation Gatekeeper uses to reduce illegal immigration indirectly is the use of a new nation wide data base which keeps on record the names and social security numbers of legal workers, so that work eligibility can be more easily obtained. This system makes it much more difficult for undocumented immigrants to find legitimate work. Also, government sanctions are being placed on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

On the state level, the situation is much more complex. It is the federal government who makes immigration policy. However, if the federal government fails to secure our borders and illegal immigrants settle in the state, it is then the responsibility of the state to provide public service to them and to finance those services. This is the situation currently facing California and its residents (6). The federal government is failing to prevent illegal immigration and California has to pay for that failure. In response to the situation, Governor Pete Wilson, along with the lobbyist group Save Our State , wrote the grass roots measure Proposition 187 (7). Proposition 187 was designed to eliminate almost all public services to illegal immigrants such as public education and emergency health care.

Proposition 187 would also require that persons show proof of residence before receiving any public services. Employers and public officials would be required to report people who appear to be suspect of being an illegal immigrant. This initiative has met with much resistance from not the general public, but from the federal government as well. The initiative received 58% approval in the 1994 elections and passed into law, however, Federal Judge Mariana Pfaelzer put a restraining order on the bill claiming that is was unconstitutional. Stated in the case of Decanas vs. Bica (1976), It is perfectly proper for California to pass a law de