why do US immigration policies force people to immigrate illegaly?

Question

I'd like to create a context for my question. 1st I think it's necisary to dispell the myth that all undocumented immigrants are Mexican. though the vast majority of immigrants are LATINO, Latino's come from many different countries. I'm going to use El Salvador as an example. The first step in applying for a US visa is to request an interview at the US embassy. It costs $100 to be granted an interview with a representative at the US embassy. Merely being interviewed is no assurance of being legally admited; there are a host of other applications, requirements, and fees. The average income of a family in El Salvador is approximately $100/month. The fact is, a family making $100/month could never afford to pay for a $100 interview for each family member, much less the potential thousands of dollars needed to purchase legal immigration status. So why does US immigration policy force the vast majority of Latin Americans to immigrate illegaly?

please think seriously about the question!

To be honest, I'm a little disturbed at some of the ignorance I see surrounding this issue. my intentino is not to insult anyone, but I would like to foster a discussion based on INFORMED opinion.

now there is no way I can say even a fraction of what I would like to on this forum but I"ll start with some basics. It is commonly agreed by sociologists that immigration is caused by dual "push and pull" factors. I used the example of El Salvador in the context for my question. 49% of El Salvador's population live below the poverty line. For that half of the population, life is unsustainable. you cannot imagine what it is like to live in that kind of poverty with that kind of desperation unless you have experienced it or seen it. That is the biggest "push" factor. Ironically, the US push for free trade and corporate globalization (CAFTA, NAFTA, etc) have only served to drastically worsten conditions in Latin America. The pull factor is the US reputation as "the land of opportunity"...

to continue with my last post... people NEED to survive. People NEED to insure the survival of their families and their loved ones. Everything else is inconsequential in comparison to that absolutely fundamental need. In that way, Salvadorans and many Latinos ARE forced to come to the US because of the unsustainability of life in El Salvador and other Latin American countries. and as I've already explained, the very policy that is supposed to regulate immigration is the same that FORCES people to come through non-legal channels.

I hope I've clarified myself and provided sufficient context for my question. Again please really consider the things I'm talking about, even if you don't believe everything I say, believe that the immigration debate is MUCH, MUCH more complicated than the mainstream media and politicians would have you believe, and if you are motivated, do some research on the immigration issue AND on US free trade policies because the two are inextricably linked!!

Answer 1

For starts,the $100 visa processing fee you're talking about is for non-immigrant visas, not immigrant visas, and that is going up to $131 shortly. However, a person who can't afford to pay that visa fee probably doesn't have the money for a vacation in the US anyway. So, it would be assumed that going to Disneyworld is probably not the intention of the person applying. People applying for immigrant visas pay much higher fees, but frequently the person actually paying is the family member who filed the immigrant petition in the US to begin with. You can't qualify yourself for an immigrant visa and citizens of El Salvador aren't eligible for the Diversity Visa program as more than 10,000 people from there immigrate to the US legally every year, so quite a few folks manage despite the economic problems you're talking about, which are true enough. As it stands the US takes in over a million legal immigrants every year, far more than any other country. If there were no limitations on numbers, that would certainly shoot up significantly, but it still wouldn't help most of the people you're talking about since most of them don't have close family members living legally in the US who could file a petition. So, most of the people you're talking about would still come here illegally. As it stands, estimates go as high as 1/3 of the population of El Salvador already lives here, mostly illegally. Anyone here illegally can't qualify a relative for an immigrant visa. No question that economic factors make life difficult for much of Latin America which makes the US an attractive goal, but US immigration policy is supposed to be designed for the benefit of the US, not the rest of the world.

Answer 2

America doesn't discriminate to only one race. They have the requirements as every other country as well. Some countries want more fees to have proof given that immigrant foreigners aren't there to live off of their government programs.

Example - try Australia who asks for a 100,000 dollar good faith fee for the government to hold onto for a year or so. Then when you prove that you are capable of providing for yourself and family will they return you that money.

So what's your point! And why should America be any different in it's requirements!

Policies don't force anyone to do anything against the laws. That seems to be a moral, and characteristic issue of what a person chooses to do. Rather than should do.

Edit - Hate to point this out to you as well as I have others... but it's the never ending amnesties that they come for. Before NAFTA, CAFTA, and the other free trade agreements even came into place, illegals were here in the country. From 1986 on there has been 7 amnesties granted to illegals. Even when 1986 amnesty was to be the one time only amnesty given to all the illegals within the country at that time. So it isn't the free trade agreements between the countries that cause the illegals to come.

BTW - Americans are more entitled to insure the survival of their families and their loved ones. As well as themselves. Just because this is the "land of opportunties", that doesn't always ensure them to be extremely successful. or any less poor. Especially those who are poor. The ones who do work, and acquire the poverty level of $20,000 dollars and less a year. The old (those now living into their 80's, 90's, and sometimes 100's), and the retired, the newly retired all on fixed incomes. Do you also take in the account for the medical costs these people incur? How about the American families without insurance, yet struggle to pay those medical bills? And the government estimates that number to be close to 47 Million Americans. Even though I suspect millions more.

I find it rather sad, and inconceivable that anyone (fellow Americans to boot) would over look the fundimental values of fellow Americans, and those who came and come legally, as not having the same rights to insure their own survival, as well as their families. That their lives are less important, and they should stand aside and allow other countries, and their illegals to be treated as first class citizens, and above them at and on every level. To dictate to Americans as to how our policies will be run. Rather implicated to favor them. The outside countries, and their citizens. Especially when these Americans are within their own country. While the illegals are not.

Answer 3

The main problem is farm subsidies. The main reason people want to immigrate in the first place.
American farm subsidies undercut central American and Mexican farmers. It is cheaper for those countries to import US agricultural goods than it is to grow their own so their farms go down the tubes. This has a huge impact on the mostly agrarian central American states and Mexico.
It would be better if they stayed in their own countries and thrived but they can't.
Here in the US, it would be political suicide if any politician came out as an opponent to farm subsidies.
So there you have the main issue that fuels the problem and no one is willing to discuss it. Farm subsidies, were a hair brained idea of the Democrats during the New Deal, and now we are stuck with it, just like Social Security and the other quagmires the New Deal brought us.

Answer 4

No US policy will satisfy those who want to come here. Simple fact is that 100's of millions of people would prefer to be here than their country. But we can only take so many per year. So we need to be selective and limit the numbers to a reasonable level.

Even during the best year of the so called recovery in the economy we created less than 2.5 million jobs. The US population is growing at about 3 million a year and 70% of that growth is immigration. Now the economy is slowing and we will be lucky to gain 1 million jobs in 2008. We let in more than that legally a year. We can't take any more unless you like driving down wages more for unskilled americans and increasing the wage gap between the rich and poor?

Answer 5

As a victim of unfair U.S. Immigration policiy and practice I empathize with immigrants who resort to make an illegal entry into the United States. I love my country but I can tell you firsthand what a mockery the system is. I have a story that's way too long to post here. I will only say that for 3 years I tried to bring my fiancee into this country, and for 3 years the system made clear their indifference and ineptness. They hide behind policies rather than make policies policies work for people who attempt to immigrate legally, including those without any history of disease or criminal activity. It amazes me they even think about granting amnesty to the millions who have BROKEN THE LAW and reside here ILLEGALLY.

The fees they charge are just another way our government preys on people who are at an economic disadvantage . I think the high costs fees are intentional as an attempt to dissuade and disable people from coming into this country.
Quoting the song "The Immigrant" by Neil Sedaka..

"There was a time when strangers were welcomed here"

Answer 6

I would ask you to consider how many poor from Latin American and the world can the USA afford to allow to come, how many of their children both born and would be born here can the American tax payer afford to educate and provide for their health care needs. Perhaps the question should be, why to those such as yourself and others that are educated see the solution is not running away from the problems such as those in El Salvador but to stay and yes even risked life and limb to insure the future of all in their native counties.

Answer 7

You live in a cocoon. Over a million people a year apply for legal entry to the USA . Many have been waiting for years. They are doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, scientists, inventors... and these are the people that contribute to a country and make it stronger. But, you would have unskilled, uneducated people from El Salador come here instead... and do what??? Do what except drain our social services and contibute to the gang activity ? Does your country need more unskilled, under educated people? No???? Well, the USA doesnt need them either. I wish that fee would be $1000.

Answer 8

Just taking the heading of your question -- "why do US immigration policies force people to immigrate illegaly?" -- That's like asking why do laws against robbing banks force people to rob banks.

As to the rest of your non-question rant, immigration laws are in place to prevent such a tidal wave of immigration from anywhere to, among other things, destroy the ethos and culture of the United States. That's the >purpose< of immigration laws and quotas, but unfortunately the Democratic and Republican morons running this country refuse to enforce those laws. Consequently the United States is being destroyed by an uncontrolled infestation.

Please think seriously about this answer!

Answer 9

i have a great idea. everybody in the US will come over to El Salvador tomorrow to study this problem.
all 303,685,233 of us.
please ask 6,822,378 El Salvadorians to make room.

watch how fast El Salvador charges Americans a lot more then $100.00 .

we do not have room for everybody. the purpose of the $100.00 and the interview is to cut down on the amount of people that can come to the US.
besides, if you can come up with the $100, you wont need our welfare.

why dont all of you pool the money you would spend on coming here, and use it to fix the problems in your country ?

illegal immigration will end after the next presidential election and the republican is thrown out. republicans need low wage immigrants they can exploit so they can stay rich.

Answer 10

Our immigration policies do not force anyone to illegally enter our country.

The decision to break US federal law is entirely on the shoulders of the illegal alien.

We have the right and responsibility to control entry to our country.

We do not have unlimited resources. We have the right to provide for our own citizens first, when that need is met, then we will consider others.

Charity begins at home. And this is not the home of illegal aliens.