How can the United States slow down immirgration into the country?

Question

Specifically illegal immirgration

Answer 1

through helping other countries like mexico to improve people life in this places

Answer 2

Start total enforcement of current immigration laws.

Close and protect the borders.

Allow and encourage to enforce the immigration laws by border patrol agents vs. doing as was done to the 2 border patrol agents for shooting someone that was smuggling drugs into this country illegal as well as breaking the laws on entry into the United States.

Go back again to a repatriation program such as Eisenhower had in 1954.

If we are going to do any changes within the immigration laws, I would like us to start with something similar to what Mexico has now for their immigration/handling of illegals. Look at how Mexico protects its own southern borders from illegal entry.

Answer 3

Hi,

Examples surround the world of countries who start out needing immigrants to people its shores, then, as their country grows prosperous and powerful then don't need or want any more. Australia, Canada and the USA are prime examples.

Legal immigration is pretty strictly controlled by most governments, who are able to put up a bewildering array of 'requirements' and qualifications need to satisy their (ever changing) regulations. The USA, Canada and Australia have very effective blocks against unwanted 'legal' immigration.

Illegal immigration, however, is more difficult to control. Most countries want foreign nationals to visit their land to provide tourism revenue and this enables people to legally enter the country.

Once you are in there are a variety of ways to avoid the need to go back, if you are so inclined.

A few years ago I was an 'illegal' in the USA. I landed on a tourist visa and overstayed. This was relatively easy to do and there are mechanisms to allow the extension of visa periods that were explained to me when I arrived (by an unusually cooperative immigration official! There are not too many of those about!)

I stayed for around 16 months and eventually went home to the UK for family reasons.

The 'black' economy allowed me to live and work without official documentation. I wasn't a drain on the economy and didn't claim, or need social security, but I was there 'illegally'.

This is far from uncommon, I understand.

Prevention? I believe, without any need for racial discrimination, that any country that does not need immigrants, should prevent ALL immigration. That way there is no need for a government to have multi-level regulations.

e.g. the USA operates a 'Green card' lottery which 'allows' (almost without regulation) 50,000 immigrant applications annually to enter a lottery-the 'winners' get the right to have a 'Green card' and the right to live and work, with their families in the USA.

This system allows Iranians, Eastern Europeans and applicants from several 'enemy' countries to enter, and 'win'. Yet, despite our 'special relationship' (often cited between the UK Government(s) and the USA equivalent) the lottery is specifically NOT allowed for UK citizens to enter-talk about dual standards!

Perhaps if ALL immigration were stopped then illegal immigrants would become more visible and checking for paperwork and documentation could be more effectively carried out, with offenders returned to their country of origin?

Two places to 'stop' illegal immigration...an even more diligent border patrol along the Mexico/USA border and better checking of leaving dates for people visiting on tourist visas.

Both would be difficult to maintain and expensive to run...depends how much your government wants/needs to stop the 'illegals'

Not much help, I suppose, but then, if I could solve the problem easily, I'd probably be running your Government, wouldn't I?

Anyway, Cheers,

BobSpain

Answer 4

There is a simple answer to a complicated subject. If the USA tells all people in the USA who hire illegals that they will be fined and go to jail after the first offence, then 95% of the offenders will stop hiring. No jobs, no reason for illegals to come to America. The incentive for taking the hardship of crossing the border would be gone.

Answer 5

Here is a great group that is trying to answer that very question.
Both liberals and conservatives might be surprised by some of the people who have and do oppose illegal immigration. The people are so divided that it's hard for us to even protect our own sovereignty, but if we can't get it together on this, we may find one day that we don't have a country.

Answer 6

In a nutshell
1. Secure the borders to prevent more from coming in.
2. Decrease the incentives enticing illegals to come to the U.S. Don't hire illegals, don't rent or sell housing to them, don't allow them any benefits since they are not citizens and are here illegally.
Deport those that are here illegally that refuse to leave after Step #2.

Answer 7

When our own representatives encourage illegal immigration, simply ignore the problem for their own advantage, punish our Border Patrol Agents and rewards the criminals, will simply disregard the will of the American people this will only continue and get worse but unless we start to make this issue a priority in our elections we are stuck with the astronomical expensive, revenue deleting result.

Answer 8

Put employers in Jail, Cut Visas by 75%, Seal the Boarders..to mention a Few..All of which Mr. Bush has vowed not to do.....

Answer 9

Do away with 'birthright citizenship' as Ireland and Canada have, and do away with immigration through family relationship that was put in in 1965 which makes each person who gets legal entry (even if they initially came illegally) be able to bring in more family, who can bring in more family.....which ultimately means we aren't the one deciding who comes in any more.

Also, do away with the non-emergency benefits for those illegally here. You can't keep paying poor people to stay and expect them to leave, particularly once they've already lost their virginity on the 'lawbreaking' issue.

Answer 10

There have always been laws against the illegal inviting and hiring of undocumented workers. Those laws to manage immigration have been blatantly ignored by communities and businesses. Why slow it down now if the laws of this land about this didn't matter to anyone before?
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0308-20.htm

Answer 11

The only way to stop it is to have another Depression, and that might not do it. America is a great big land of Promise to others all around the world.