Immigration
Immigration entails the act of people moving from their country and living in a foreign country permanently (Hollifield, James, Philip and Pia 118). Immigration is an issue that has been making headlines in the recent years since it is an issue that affects all countries and communities. Moreover, it is an issue that affects various sectors in a country such as social political and even economic sector. With the globalization of countries in regards to trading, investment and economies, borders are more opened easily hence allowing free flow of products and goods. With such globalization, the rate of immigration also increases.
Peers states that countries are classified based on their immigration status. Some of the countries may be classified as those with large immigrant populations, some with declining population and others with increasing immigrant populations. Countries with a high number of immigrant flows may suffer from compassion fatigue. As such, these countries may have stringent immigrant and immigration policies. Countries where the immigration is declining or small, the immigration policies within these countries highly embraces foreigners (Chassamboulli, Andri, and Giovanni Peri 793). This is a way of increasing the level of both unskilled and skilled labor within the country.
Based on research, immigration can have either beneficial effects on the recipient country or has drawbacks on the country. Immigration has beneficial effects in industrialized nations hence the United States or Western Europe are expected to benefit from immigration (Geddes, Andrew, and Peter Scholten 28). One of the benefits include an increased talent pool in the recipient country, and the immigrants can do some tasks that people within the host country which the citizens of this countries cannot do. Immigrants work for longer hours and at a lower salary. Although this may be deemed exploitive by some people, it is beneficial to the host country. Hainmueller, Jens, and Daniel opine immigration also increases diversity in the host country which serves as a way of increasing understanding and tolerance (227). There several drawbacks associated with immigration which include immigrants being exploited for cheap labor, and the developing countries suffering from brain drain. A country such as the UK is often accused of hiring the medical personnel from developing countries.
Immigration is often associated with some criminal elements such as drug trafficking among other vices. Racism is also contributed to by immigration. Illegal immigration creates a bad picture to the legal immigrants. Immigration is an issue that the new president of US, Donald Trump, perceives as a burning issue and new laws under his governance aim at sending back all the illegal immigrants (McKay). As argued by Hainmueller, Jens, and Daniel such a new policy introduced by the president may affect international relations with some countries and may tarnish the image of legal citizens from the specific countries where some illegal immigrants are deported.
Immigration is a hot topic since it is common in the society and affects everyone in one way or the other. An instance of brain drain in some developing countries affects the overall economy of the countries since they have to hire foreign professionals. Similarly, an issues of brain drain in the health care domain leads to the citizens suffering from lack of immediate assistance from medical professionals.
Works Cited
Chassamboulli, Andri, and Giovanni Peri. “The labor market effects of reducing the number of illegal immigrants.” Review of Economic Dynamics 18.4 (2015): 792-821.
Geddes, Andrew, and Peter Scholten. The politics of migration and immigration in Europe. New Castle: Sage, 2016.
Hainmueller, Jens, and Daniel J. Hopkins. “Public attitudes toward immigration.” Annual Review of Political Science 17.1 (2014): 225-249.
Hollifield, James, Philip Martin, and Pia Orrenius. Controlling immigration: A global perspective. California: Stanford University Press, 2014.
McKay, David. American politics and society. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2017.
Peers, S. EU Justice and Home Affairs Law: EU Immigration and Asylum Law (Vol. 1). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.
