Thesis Statement:
How access to healthcare and food stamps affect documented and undocumented immigrants? And how it affects the social services in America?
Introduction
To understand how the status (documented/undocumented) of an immigrant affects access to services and relief, it is imperative to understand the term and the phenomenon called Immigration. Immigration is understood as an action or measure to move to another country, either with the intention to live in that country permanently or for a long period. When we study human history, we learn that humans are migrating for thousands of years, from one region to another, in search of food and better living conditions. Historians assert that human history can be understood better by emphasizing on various mass migrations, during different periods, from one region to another. In fact, human evolution and civilization began, when our ancestors migrated from North-East Africa to various parts of the world (Lauter, 2016).
Before nation states emerged, it was simple for humans to move to another country. However, with the emergence of nation-states, which had strong borders, the process of immigration became more systematic and rigorous. Also, as the wealth disparity widened between countries, the immigration policy and process became difficult. For instance, North American countries, such as the United States and Canada, were more stable, wealthy, and prosperous than Central and Latin American countries, which made these countries attractive destinations for those, who wanted to migrate to prosperous countries, which offered more lucrative socioeconomic opportunities than their native countries. As the number of immigrants to prosperous countries swelled, more, it became imperative for wealthy/prosperous countries to introduce a strong immigration policy. Another reason for strong and robust immigration policy was that immigrants were reshaping economic realities, which were affecting the political system (Bump, 2018).
As it became more difficult for those, who wanted to migrate to countries of their choice, size of illegal immigration inflated.
Broad Definition
Illegal immigration is understood as illegal entry into a country. Illegal immigrants generally cross a border of a country in a manner that violates immigration laws of that country. Individual, when cross-border in a manner, which is illegal or prescribed, they put his/her life in danger.
United States
The United States is one of the most preferred countries of migrants, as it has a huge economy, which produces very lucrative socioeconomic opportunities in almost regular intervals (when the economy is in upswing). People, from all over the world, have/are migrated/migrating to the United States. The most obvious factor, which is positively influencing migration to the United States, is its political-economic stability.
From the systematic scrutiny of America’s immigration history, we learn that American immigration policy, about immigration, has remained quite open. However, Americans have always remained a skeptic of migrants/immigrants. For instance, when the Irish came to the United States, a certain section of media of that time hatched various conspiracy theories. Some claimed that the Pope sent Irish migrants with an agenda. Irish migrants find it very difficult to adjust to American society. However, for a migrant community, which had different skin color and professed a different religion, becoming part of American society was far more difficult.
It is still true for undocumented immigrants from Asia and Central/Southern America. Also, there is widespread ignorance regarding Southern America. For instance, only Mexicans and Dominicans are considered generally considered Latinos, which reveals that understanding about immigrants from Central and Southern America is quite poor (Oboler, 2005).
Services and Opportunities
Not the only United States offers economic/corporate and social opportunities, but also it offers a range of services. These services are designed to reduce the burden on an individual or family, and it facilitates an individual or family to live a quality life. Some of the services or programs have very specific objectives, whereas other programs are very general and they target various objectives. For instance, The Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as Food Stamps, is designed to aid individuals/families (with limited income) to buy food. We learn that there is a criterion set for to benefit from this program. The eligibility criterion is simple, but firm, which decides whether a person or family is eligible for this special assistance (Bump, 2018).
Another program, which is devised to improve lives of citizens and reduce the financial burden on Americans, is The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The program ensures that people have easy access to health care insurance, which increases their chances of survivability. The health care program (Obama care) also has a criterion; therefore, only eligible individuals and families could benefit from it.
Education is another service, which is free (to high school) for American children. The American education system is considered one of the best education systems, and therefore, it can produce quality results. American children benefit from the education system, without mounting any financial pressure on their parents. However, this program also has a criterion, which is that education is free only for American children (Becerra, Androff, Ayón, & Castillo, 2012).
Wage is a serious issue in the United States, and some states have a minimum wage policy, as these states acknowledge that wage is directly correlated with quality life and consumption. At federal level too, policies are devised to increase wage (indirectly). However, not all benefit from wage programs. For instance, illegal immigrants, who are not covered by minimum wage clause, are compelled to work at low rates, which keep them within the circle of poverty.
Legal and illegal immigrants’ Access to Services and Opportunities
Illegal immigrants do not have full access to various services, such as healthcare, as they are not American citizens. It is quite apparent that only Americans fully qualify for various state services such as health care and food stamps. If an individual is not American, he/she does not have full access to various services, which state offers. It is because American citizens pay taxes, which translates into revenue. This revenue is then used by the state to provide various kinds of services to citizens. For instance, American government uses the funds (generated revenue) to eradicate poverty and generate employment. For those, who are living in abject poverty are offering various services in the form of food stamps. However, illegal immigrants, who do not have the documents that qualify them as Americans, cannot effusively benefit from such government schemes (Zatz & Rodriguez, 2015).
It implies that community, of illegal immigrants, is at risk; health and employment wise. For instance, if an illegal immigrant gets sick or his/her health deteriorates, he/she has to pay more than the Americans, who are insured, to recover his/her health. As the American health system is one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world, most of the income/savings of illegal immigrant, who already earns less than American citizens, would be consumed by medical treatments (Becerra, Androff, Ayón, & Castillo, 2012). However, documented immigrants do not face such challenges, as they have access to health insurance because they are lawfully present immigrants.
Similarly, children of undocumented immigrants cannot avail education service or benefit from free education (to high school). It affects the future of children, which could become an asset for the United States if the United States decides to invest in their futures.
Only those children of legal immigrants face this challenge, who are not legal immigrants or their status is ambiguous. For instance, if one of the children is not a registered or documented immigrant, he/she would not benefit from the service of free education (Lauter, 2016).
Also, it is quite difficult for an undocumented immigrant to break the vicious cycle of poverty. It is because the undocumented immigrant is paid less in comparison to an American citizen, which is why the size of savings is small. Also, Marginal Propensity to Consume, of a low-income individual is high, which also reduces the size of savings.
Furthermore, the prevailing perception in the United States is that those, who are poor, are either lazy or lack initiative. Therefore, there is fierce debate regarding health care and food stamp programs (Lauter, 2016). In such social-political climate, it is not possible for the U.S. to offer complete health care and food stamps services to undocumented immigrants (who neither are American citizens nor do they pay taxes). Therefore, undocumented immigrants will remain socially and economically vulnerable, and they will have no access to various state sponsor programs that are designed to provide various kinds of reliefs (Oboler, 2005).
Studies suggest that if the state develops a robust system to legalize illegal immigrants, the economy will be positively impacted (Becerra, Androff, Ayón, & Castillo, 2012). However, there is no political will to address the issue of illegal immigrants (aliens) in the United States (Becerra, Androff, Ayón, & Castillo, 2012). Currently, there is a lot of confusion regarding immigration policy, which is yielding various kinds of challenges for state and illegal immigrants (Bump, 2018).
Conclusion
In the end, it is apparent that illegal immigrants would not be able to benefit from various health care and poverty eradication programs, as they are not American citizens. Also, it is quite apparent that there challenges and complications for both legal and illegal immigrants. For instance, if the children of illegal immigrants are not registered or legalized, then they face similar challenges, which are faced by undocumented immigrants.
It would require political will, time, and sincere effort to resolve the issues such as the status of illegal immigrants and their access to the services. As illegal immigration an electoral issue, on which media is bitterly split,(used by politicians in their campaigns); therefore, the chances resolving this issue, inefficient and timely fashion, are quite slim.
References
Becerra, D., Androff, D. K., Ayón, C., & Castillo, J. T. (2012). Fear vs. Facts: Examining the Economic Impact of Undocumented Immigrants in the U.S. The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 39(4), 111-135.
Bump, P. (2018, january 22). Americans broadly embrace the Democratic immigration position — but are divided on Trump’s crackdown. Retrieved from The Washington Post: https://www.google.com.pk/search?q=Democrats+and+Republicans+divided+on+illegal+immigrants&oq=
Democrats+and+Republicans+divided+on+illegal+immigrants&aqs=
chrome..69i57.10855j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Lauter, D. (2016, August 2016). How do Americans view poverty? Many blue-collar whites, key to Trump, criticize poor people as lazy and content to stay on welfare. Retrieved from LA-Times: http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-pol-poverty-poll/
Oboler, S. (2005). “Introduction: Los Que Llegaron: 50 Years of South American Immigration (1950–2000)–An Overview. Latino Studies, 3(1), 42-52.
Zatz, M. S., & Rodriguez, N. (2015). Dreams and nightmares: Immigration policy, youth, and families. Univ of California Press.
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