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Immigration Bill Sparks Protest

About a week ago some events were going on that many people may not pay a lot of attention to especially people such as myself who do not watch the news very often. People were talking about protests going on around the U.S. over an immigration bill that might be put into affect. Coming from a family of immigrants (they are legal) this hit close to home and made me wonder what the future would hold for other people now facing the risk of being deported.
Mexican president Vicente Fox is advocating for a migration accord to be passed by the United States in which legal status would be granted to the estimated six million undocumented Mexicans living illegally in the United States. However, the U.S has another idea in mind which many see as an unfair way to handle the situation of immigration. There has been much debate over a new bill that the Senate wants to pass that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally, impose new penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants and even go so far as to erect additional fences along one-third of the U.S. Mexican Border. President Vicente Fox will end his term on December 1st and he hopes that Congress will approve the guest-worker program by the end of his term. Other candidates running for the new position of President of Mexico said that they would strengthen the economy and make Mexican jobs “attractive enough” to keep people from heading to the U.S. The U.S has asked Mexico to do more to strengthen its security along the border and Mexico has pledged to fight people-smuggling networks and to work closely with the U.S. to tighten the border enforcement.
Illegal immigration has always been a debatable issue in the United States and in a recently published article in time magazine people from around the states were surveyed about this controversial issue. Results showed that 82 percent believed that “the government is not doing enough to keep illegal immigrants out of this country” and 75 percent suggested that the government should deny them services such as health care and food stamps. Others (51 percent) went so far as to say that children who are illegally in the U.S should not be allowed to attend public schools! Some people do have a heart though, 78 percent said that citizenship should be allowed for those who are already here (a) if they have a job (b) if demonstrate proficiency in English and pay their taxes.
Should or should they not have the right to be in the United States? That is what this debate is all about. Yes they are illegal and yes they are taking jobs, but they are working long hours for very little money and all they are trying to do is make a better life for themselves and their families. America was discovered by Christopher Columbus so aren’t Americans technically immigrants too? Who says that because you want freedom you should be considered a felon? Working to have more in life leads someone to be a criminal? Whatever the decision made by the Senate concerning this new bill time will only tell what happens to the immigration issue. If you would like to know more about this survey please visit time.com to view the survey and read more about the issue.