Debate on Amnesty and its Potential to Cure Illegal Immigration

This report debates the potential of amnesty to cure illegal immigration in the US. It discusses the disadvantages of illegal immigration, impact on security, culture, job facility, and education. The report concludes that amnesty may not be a cure but a cause of illegal immigration.

Running head: SOCIAL SCIENCE
Social Science
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SOCIAL SCIENCE
1. Introduction
The term amnesty can be defined as an official pardon for individuals who have been
convicted of political offences. In the year 2986, at November 6, the then president of US,
Ronald Reagan granted amnesty to more than 3 million undocumented immigrants in the United
States by signing the Amnesty Act 19861. The final bill was considered to be the result of
dramatic compromise between the individuals who wanted to diminish illegal immigration into
the nation and the politicians who wanted the government to grant legal residence to the
individuals who were already living in US illegally. In this report, a debate about whether
amnesty posses the potential to cure the issue of illegal immigration or it can enhance the same n
the upcoming future.
2. Discussion
2.1. Disadvantages of Illegal Immigration
US have been suffering from the issue of illegal immigration prior to the year 1982. Some of
the major disadvantages of the illegal immigration are discussed bellow.
 Menials as well as entry level jobs are obtained by illegal migrants , not by the legal
citizens2.
 The government of US is suffering from a major loss when it comes to tax revenue that is
imposing adverse impact on the government programs
 The cost of education is increasing
 As a result of Bilingualism, the nation poses a threat of getting divided.
1 Martinez, Julia A., Douglas N. Johnson, and Jane A. Jones. "Beyond punishment: the impacts of medical amnesty
in a US Residential college context." Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy 25.3 (2018): 248-253.
2 Ahmed, Sameera T. "The cultural politics of US immigration: gender, race and media." (2018): 1476-1478.

2SOCIAL SCIENCE
 Illegal immigration posses the potential to remove motivation for legal immigration
 Illegal immigration results in increased crime as well as terrorist activity.
2.2. Impact of Amnesty on Security of the Citizens
According to researchers, the impact of the amnesty that took place in the year 1986, was
not at all beneficial for the citizens of US3. After enactment, the international Register of
Certificated Auditors (IRCA) had launched a massive Amnesty program for two chief categories
of illegal aliens. The first category included those who could prove that they are residing in US
illegally since at least January 1, 1982. The second category involved those illegal immigrants
who were agricultural workers for a minimum of 90 days between May 1, 1985 as well as May
1, 1986. The IRCA amnesty I considered to have direct link with terrorism. For instance, the
leader of 1993, World Trade Center Bombing, Mahmud Abouhalima, was legalized for being a
seasonal agriculture worker as a part of the 1986 IRCA amnesty. The legalization, allowed him
to travel abroad and get training for the terrorist attack. According to a good number of
researchers, amnesty of illegal immigration posses the potential to enhance the crime rate as well
as terrorist activity in the country4. The citizens of US have already evidenced how illegal
immigration has lead to entry of criminals and terrorists in the nation and had eventually created
danger for the common citizens in the country. Moreover, illegal criminals are more difficult to
track as well as prosecuted. Thus providing illegal immigrants the permission to reside within the
nation not only enhance the safety issue of the citizen but also imposed negative impact on their
trust on the rules and regulations of the government.
3 Schuck, Peter. Citizens, strangers, and in-betweens: essays on immigration and citizenship. Routledge, 2018.
4 Lessem, Rebecca. "Mexico–us immigration: Effects of wages and border enforcement." The Review of Economic
Studies85.4 (2017): 2353-2388.

3SOCIAL SCIENCE
2.3. Impact of Amnesty on culture of US
According to several researchers across the world, diversity contributes to cultural
enrichment5. According to the, illegal immigration does not only represents mere racial diversity
but also enhances the socio-economic distinctions between the immigrants s well as the legal
citizens. However, researchers argued that, diversity can also be increased by the legal
immigrants6. Moreover, realizing illegal immigrants will result in bilingualism. This may in
future result in division of the nation. For instance, considering the fact that English has not been
declare to be the official language of US, several policymakers as well as lobbyist may continue
debating about the merits of teaching more than one language in academic institutions. This will
eventually result in provision of dual language text books along with presentation of educational
information, medical services as well as host of other cultural experiences in a Multilanguage
format. This will impose negative impact on the cultural integrity of the citizens. Along with this,
this impact of amnesty will continue to escalate, creating potential issues as well as tension
within the nation.
2.4. Impact of amnesty on Job facility and Education
One of the major reasons of illegal immigration has been found to lack of job facilities
due to war, riots or other unstable conditions, in the host countries. According to a recent survey
conducted in the year 2017, more than 23.2 percent of the low paying positions in several
industries get lost due to illegal emigrants who have arrived in the nation to earn their livelihood.
5 Owens, Emily, Matthew Freedman, and Sarah Bohn. "Trumped Up Charges: Empirical Effects of US Immigration
Reform on Crime and Jobs." (2015).
6 Teitler, Julien, Melissa Martinson, and Nancy E. Reichman. "Does life in the United States take a toll on health?
Duration of residence and birthweight among six decades of immigrants." International Migration Review 51.1
(2017): 37-66.

4SOCIAL SCIENCE
However, these jobs could help in preparing the work force of America in future. Already, basic
jobs like fast food, vehicle repair and maintenance, cleaning works and other jobs that need basic
skills are not available or the youth, disabled as well as retire person of the labor. This in turn is
enhancing the discontent of the citizens. Along with this, it is also imposing negative impact on
the economy of the country by enhancing joblessness. Considering the fact that that amnesty will
provide encouragement to the illegal immigrants to enter the nation, these act posses the
potential to further worsen the situation and enhance the economic unstatability of the nation.
Researchers stated that, considering the fact that organizations recruiting illegal
immigrants does not need to pay taxes, the government is getting deprived of tax dollars that
should be paid by the organizations7. This is not only is it increasing joblessness, but is also
preventing several government programs that could have been beneficial for the citizens of US.
Granting amnesty to the illegal emigrant will further encourage other immigrants to illegally
enter the nation for earning livelihood. researchers stated that providing amnesty to illegal
immigrant will also enhance the educational cost in US8. For instance, the cost of teaching illegal
immigrant children who are not legally eligible for special assistance programs that includes
tutors as well as other educational resources will get passed on the taxpayers. However
researchers argued the amnesty should be granted to the illegal immigrants since this act of
compassion will not only provide them with legal securities but will also enhance the economical
condition of US in the long run9. Considering the fact that majority of the immigrants provides
7 Kibria, Nazli, Megan O’Leary, and Cara Bowman. "The Good Immigrant Worker: 2013 US Senate Bill 744,
Color-Blind Nativism and the Struggle for Comprehensive Immigration Reform." Journal of International
Migration and Integration19.1 (2018): 1-13.
8 Steigleder, Quinn, and Chad Sparber. "The effect of legal status on immigrant wages and occupational
skills." Applied Economics Letters 24.2 (2017): 80-84.
9 Steigleder, Quinn, and Chad Sparber. "The effect of legal status on immigrant wages and occupational
skills." Applied Economics Letters 24.2 (2017): 80-84.

5SOCIAL SCIENCE
labor in a highly affordable, amnesty will result in much cheaper food as well as better services.
However, since there prevails a risk of increment of number of illegal immigrant after amnesty,
this privilege will disappear eventually leading to joblessness and deterioration of economy.
3. Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that amnesty possess the potential to be
more of a cause instead of a being a cure to the illegal immigration issue of US. One of the chief
reasons behind this is that providing amnesty to the illegal immigrants will provide a wrong
message to the rest of the immigrants who are planning to arrive in US illegally. Amnesty will
encourage them to enter the nation and this will enhance the number of illegal immigration to a
great extent. As being discussed earlier, this action will impose negative impact on the nation’s
cultural, economic as well as security. The risk of terrorist attack will increase. Besides that since
job opportunities will get shard the number of jobless citizens will also get enhances. Lastly,
there also prevails a risk of bilingualism in the culture will also get enhanced. Hence, it is
suggested that the government of US, should focus on a step-by-step process to enhance
enforcement of existing immigration laws, improve the immigration system, and institute reliable
border security.

6SOCIAL SCIENCE
Reference List
Ahmed, Sameera T. "The cultural politics of US immigration: gender, race and media." (2018):
1476-1478.
Kibria, Nazli, Megan O’Leary, and Cara Bowman. "The Good Immigrant Worker: 2013 US
Senate Bill 744, Color-Blind Nativism and the Struggle for Comprehensive Immigration
Reform." Journal of International Migration and Integration19.1 (2018): 1-13.
Lessem, Rebecca. "Mexico–us immigration: Effects of wages and border enforcement." The
Review of Economic Studies85.4 (2017): 2353-2388.
Martinez, Julia A., Douglas N. Johnson, and Jane A. Jones. "Beyond punishment: the impacts of
medical amnesty in a US Residential college context." Drugs: Education, Prevention and
Policy 25.3 (2018): 248-253.
Owens, Emily, Matthew Freedman, and Sarah Bohn. "Trumped Up Charges: Empirical Effects
of US Immigration Reform on Crime and Jobs." (2015).
Schuck, Peter. Citizens, strangers, and in-betweens: essays on immigration and citizenship.
Routledge, 2018.
Steigleder, Quinn, and Chad Sparber. "The effect of legal status on immigrant wages and
occupational skills." Applied Economics Letters 24.2 (2017): 80-84.
Teitler, Julien, Melissa Martinson, and Nancy E. Reichman. "Does life in the United States take
a toll on health? Duration of residence and birthweight among six decades of
immigrants." International Migration Review 51.1 (2017): 37-66.