US Policy on Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

US Policy on Immigration - Essay Example In March 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - a cabinet level federal agency created under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and tasked to coordinate and implement internal security took over immigration duties from the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Under the supervision of DHS, immigration enforcement is now under the Border and Security Directorship and immigration services under the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (National Immigration Forum, August 2003). The mandate given to Homeland Security to implement immigration policy was to enable the body to strictly enforce immigration rules with regards to the fact that Al Qaida operatives who undertook terrorist activities from 1993 until 2001 were able to enter the United States by exploiting the weaknesses in the immigration system (M. Krikorian, Spring 2004). The Department of Homeland Security is tasked to secure the borders of the country in order to prevent illegal entries of immigrants, and to this effect a record 4.5 million people have been apprehended and repatriated, out of which were 350,000 have criminal records according to the White House, at least since President George Bush took office (White House, November 28, 2005). The message being sent is that the United States "border must be open to trade and tourism and closed to criminals, drug dealers, and terrorists" (White House, November 28, 2005). ...ecretary of Homeland Security to enforce laws pertaining to security in conjunction with the issuance of visas of consulates and visas, powers that were vested before in the Secretary of State (National Immigration Forum, August 2003). Thus, the Homeland Security has personnel posted at American embassies and consulates all over the world.However, immigration policy which fell under the national security context had been countere d by parties which say that the current policy is harsh to immigrants who have traditionally bolstered the economic power and the democratic space of the United States. As a response, the Bush administration has made efforts to undertake reforms that would bolster national security concerns without undermining the rights of immigrants and making it difficult for those who are productive and law-abiding to become legal citizens of the United States. Border patrols and no-exception policy on repatriation of illegal entrants (most of those who come through Mexico) are coupled with proposals for a new Temporary Worker Program which will allow migrant worker to register for a definite period, after which they have to leave (White House, November 28, 2005). The temporary worker program has been advocated as a safer alternative than granting amnesty which the government believes would reward those who break the law.