Blog 2

Typically we're raised into our beliefs such as religion or politics and we don't stray from them when we get older. Our beliefs dictate the solutions we present and to deviate from that would be unfathomable to most. There are many problems in this world and because of it many sides find themselves in very heated debates arguing their solutions. Lots of these problems many claim there is only a single solution. Illegal immigration is one of those issues, most either want closed borders with Mexico or an open border.

There are several groups advocating closed border with Mexico, claiming the illegals that cross over are a drag on our economy, they smuggle illegal drugs over and are a cause of many crimes in the United States. The Minute Men are one of those groups who have even gone so far as to post volunteers at the Arizona Mexico border to call the border patrol when people are spotted trying to come over illegally. It is of this groups viewpoint that illegals are also a burden on our hospitals, racking up medical bills and not paying them. They claim illegals use our social system and receive social benefits, while at the same time pay no taxes by getting paid under the table. There have been examples of illegal criminals murdering U.S. citizens then fleeing to Mexico knowing that the Mexican government will not extradite murder suspects assuming they will face a death penalty in the United States. Another group of people thought to cross over the border are terrorist from middle eastern countries. Terrorist realizing the border is very porous know they can cross over it without a paper trail allowing them to remain unnoticed in the United States until it is time for them to commit some terrorist act. It is examples like these that people for closing the border use to fuel their argument that the U.S. Mexican border should be walled up and closed so no illegals may get across.

Several groups advocate an open border claiming the treatment of illegals is inhumane and it's unjust to prevent people from wanting to live a better life. In Phoenix Arizona a pregnant illegal immigrant Ala Chacon was arrested and forced to give birth while shackled, then wan not able to hold or nurse her baby for 70 days. There are many cases such as this in Phoenix of women being shackled during and after childbirth causing much discomfort to the pregnant woman. Families are often split up when one parent is an illegal immigrant and forced to leave the country. Pro open border groups also claim because it is so hard to get permission to come and live in the United States many die trying to cross the harsh desert to get to the United States. Our economy some claim is benefited by these illegal immigrants. By working for low wages they keep cost down and allow many things to be more affordable. To prevent the inhumane treatment and keep the economy moving the U.S. Mexican border should be open for all to freely come and go.

There usually only seems to two solutions for the illegal immigration situation in America and that is to open the borders completely or close it off. Senators John McCain and Edward Kennedy tried submitted a bill involving a guest workers program which would allow illegal immigrants a path to become documented and legal in conjunction with securing the border better. This is a compromise that both sides didn't like and as a result the bill was never passed. President Obama has a similar solution to secure the border, improve the immigration bureaucracy to allow immigrants to enter the U.S. faster and to remove incentives to remain illegal in the United States. Again though because this is a compromise solution it is being put on hold for now to be tackled another day even though the new Arizona illegal immigration law has created a huge worldwide controversy. It seems that for certain problems there is only one solution that will appease a particular viewpoint, and in a case like illegal immigration there are so many complexities to the issue it's hard to imagine a middle ground that both sides can meet at.