Immigration policy has been a hot topic in presidential elections for decades and continues to be covered daily on social media and in major news outlets.
There’s a lot of hate out there, a lot of anger, a lot of fear. And they don’t have much understanding. This nuance is lost among voters who do not understand that the single-story approach that dominates the media cannot encompass “immigrants.” What I mean by this is that immigrants bring drugs and violence, are trying to take advantage of American taxpayer-funded social services, and are “stealing American jobs.”
When politicians talk about immigration policy in debates, how does that policy actually work? When people enter the United States, where do they go? “Immigrants,” “asylum seekers,” When we hear “refugee”, how do we understand the difference between these terms?
Each of these labels contains very different realities. An “immigrant” is someone who comes to a country to obtain permanent residence. This includes people who migrate in search of employment and educational opportunities, but also people fleeing persecution in their home countries.
Immigrants may migrate for a variety of reasons. To get a better paying job and support their family. For education and employment opportunities. Or because I like that country. However, they may also be refugees and move because they are not safe in their home country. This leaves little choice.
Many people oppose policies that would allow such people to enter the United States. They may agree with the rhetoric that immigrants are stealing American jobs or creating problems for immigrants, and that their home governments should address their civil, economic, and social problems. . Others recognize that this is unlikely to happen, but still believe that these people should go to countries other than the United States for such opportunities. While this may be achievable for some, it is not an option for everyone.
What’s important to understand here is that not all people who immigrate to the United States are actually given the opportunity to live elsewhere, to complete their necessary daily tasks without fear for their lives. That means no. “Refugees and asylum seekers” defines a group of people who are persecuted on the basis of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, including sexual orientation and political participation. I will. These people are threatened daily with unimaginable horrors simply by existing in their home countries. The difference between immigrants seeking better opportunities and refugees fleeing persecution is often overlooked. This distinction is important. For many people, U.S. policy means life or death.
When we talk about the immigration of people, we need to clearly distinguish between those who are able to live in their home countries and those whose lives are at risk because it is impossible for them to seek refuge outside the United States. Many of these people do not intend to permanently reside in the country, but may be forced to do so if the violence continues. Most of them prefer to stay home if it is safe to do so, as the journey itself is dangerous. Over the past decade, more than 63,000 people have died or gone missing while migrating to other countries. Despite the dire statistics, those who decide to make this journey believe that it is more dangerous to remain in their home country than to take the risk of fleeing.
When voting Americans consider immigration policy, they must be clear about the impact of that policy on those affected. A non-disclosure policy on asylum means something very different to people than restrictions on student or work visas (although both reasons for immigration are important and can change people’s lives). It is important to consider asylum as another type of migration: migration based on humanitarian reasons. The ability to seek asylum is a human right. It is our duty to protect this right, regardless of an individual’s position on immigration for employment or education purposes.
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