Los Angeles is a city with a large population which consists of a substantial number of immigrants. A wide range of immigrants from around the world have settled in Los Angeles making it one of the most diverse cities in this country. Many citizens of Los Angeles have strong arguments on whether or not an immigration reform is beneficial or if it is going to harm the city and its residents. The topic of immigration is of great importance because it is an issue that Los Angeles has experience for several of years and will continue in many more to come if action is not taken. Any changes made in regards to immigration are going to affect people in Los Angeles one way or another regardless of the perspective they might sustain about the subject because money and the community are involved in case of any modification. The city of Los Angeles is no stranger to the issue of immigration, which requires a solution through the process of an immigration reform to enforce constitutional value through the process of establishment of citizenship and amnesty. Immigration reforms will develop a political policy that is going to improve, modify and change our current immigration policy. It is essential and beneficial for the city of Los Angeles to obtain an immigration reform which will benefit families by offering broader, equal and fair opportunities as it will provide the city with economic growth.
There is an estimated count of “about 1 million unauthorized immigrants in Los Angeles” (Capp and Fortuny) out of a population of nine million reside in the city (US Census Bureau). Immigrants from all over the world move to Los Angeles because of the wide opportunities the city provides through the numerous schools and various employment occupati...
... middle of paper ...
...Fortuny. “The Characteristics of Unauthorized Immigrants in California, Los Angeles County, and the United States.” The Urban Institute; Research of Record. 6 Mar. 2007. Web. 07 Apr. 2011
5. Arnold, Shayna R. “What Kind of Immigration Reform Could Work for CA and Los Angeles? City Think – Los Angeles Magazine.” LAMAG.com – Only the Best In LA. 05 July 2010. Web. 08 Apr. 2011
6. “Los Angeles County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau.” State and County QuickFacts. Web. 09. Apr. 2011
7. “Data Support Benefit of Immigration Reform in a Bear Market Economy.” Immigration Impact.” 13 Apr 2009. Web. 09 Apr. 2011
8. Keogan, Kevin. “A Sense of Place: The politics of Immigration and the Symbolic Construction of Identity in Southern California and the New York Metropolitan Area.” Sociological Forum 17.2 (2002): 223-253. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 09 Apr. 2011.
Due to California’s geographic location and rich history, it is a state that can efficiently depict the immigrant experience theme. Although an immigrant, also known as an irregular migrant, can come from any nation or ethnicity, there seems to be a commonality in their treatment. The following collection of excerpts and literary works focus on the perspective of the treatment of irregular migrants and the bevy of effects that follow. For the effects of oppression, as seen throughout history, do not cease after de jure discrimination ends. Alienation and a feeling of lack of nationality are common sentiments felt by sons and daughters of irregular migrants. Pervasive and malignant ideologies are formulated about immigrants. Their image is falsely
Immigrants must overcome many barriers to succeed in America. First, migrants frequently must learn a new language. Inability to communicate is a critical barrier for accessing the health care system (Urrutia-Rojas, Marshall, Trevino, Lurie, & Minguia-Bayona, 2006). Second, the processes of work and schooling for themselves and their families can be daunting. Lastly, immigrants use the established social network of longer duration residents for reference and knowledge (Nandi, Galea, Lopez, Nandi, Strongarone, & Ompad, 2008). For purposes of this report, there are three different types of immigrant: legal, undocumented, and refugees or persons seeking asylum. All three types of residents want to succeed and achieve their personal dream.
Eleanor Roosevelt said, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” That statement holds strong for immigrants in America. Equal access to opportunities allows immigrants to achieve the American dream. Their success correlates with America’s success because of the contributions immigrants provide to America. Unfortunately, the current immigration policy in America denies many immigrants the American dream. It is crucial to understand the historical context of immigration in America. Initially, most immigrants were from Europe and were not restricted by any immigration laws. Now, most immigrants come from Latin America but are restricted to severe immigration laws. The Latino/a community is one of the most severely affected groups because the current immigration system disproportionally affects Latino/as. Recognizing how the experience of Latino/a immigrants have been both similar and different in the past from other immigrant groups and dispelling common misconceptions about Latino/as today bring an awareness how Latino/as are affected.
These immigrants venture to the U.S. in pursuit of a ‘Dream’. As a result, areas where
Home Land security statistics on immigration verifies that there are approximately 11 million illegal immigrants who reside in the United States. In Arizona, there is an estimate of 460,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2009. (United States). Arizona borders with Mexico and it is implied that the majority of the illegal immigrants are of a Mexican background. These figures are understandable disturbing to Arizona’s local government primarily and the nation as a whole. The large influx of illegal immigrants is causing severe economic and social problems. Prisons, schools, and hospitals are the institutions that receive the direct blows of the state’s immigration problems. For these reasons, law makers in the State of Arizona justify their new “suspicious” immigration law (Matthews Mark K).
Early statistic provide from scholar article has proved that since the 1970s to 80s, Census by state has documented a high population of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Passel and Woodrow indicate that the estimation of undocumented immigrants is 2.06 millions in 1980s; most of the undocumented immigrants are Mexicans. By the year 2000, more than 1.6 million captures were along the U.S border. In southern California, “with almost 2.5 million unauthorized immigrants residing in the state, California is home to almost one fourth of the nations unauthorized” (Gonzales 473). This group can split into two major types, which are people who enter U.S illegally and people who enter through admission with their overstay visa.
This essay will discuss the issue of migration in South California, Los Angeles. This subject is very topical and affects many people. Why thousands of people immigrate to the city? Why other leave Los Angeles? There are a lot of reasons: economic, social, environmental and others. Arguments and all information will be analyzed thoroughly.
Passel, Jeffrey S., and D’Vera Cohn. “Undocumented Immigrants’ State and Local Tax Contributions. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP).” The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). N.p., July 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
In 2007, the White House issued this statement in hopes to influence a Congressional debate: “Immigration has a positive effect on the American economy as a whole and on the income of native-born American workers” (Pear). This statement relates to the idea that immigrants actually enhance the productivity of American workers and increase their earnings in a significant amount, estimated at $37 billion a year (Pear). This is just one way in which immigrants support economic development in the United States. Since the U.S. is an i...
There are three different types of illegal immigrants: fraudulent entrants, visa abusers, and those who enter without inspection (EWIs). Eighty percent of illegals run the border and are known as EWIs (Anderson 54). When people hear the term “illegal immigrant” this is the type people typically think of. Some illegal immigrants are "visa abusers" who overstay their visas (Anderson 54). The Department of Homeland Security estimates that 300,000 people overstay their visas every year (Marcovitz 30). The other type of illegal alien is a "fraudulent entrant" who pays a fortune for forged documents (Anderson 55). Because illegals usually have very little money, this method is the...
New York is worlds one of the most significant, historic and precious city. It is often considered as the cultural and financial capital of the world. However, what makes New York so unique, popular and famous? It is New York’s immigrants. For my research I have used two texts, One Out of Three by Nancy Foner and New York by M.J. Howard. In the first text Foner gives an insight description about immigrant’s contribution in economic and cultural sector of New York. In the second text Howard writes about Immigration history and the way immigration has changed New Yorks lifestyle. New York is America’s most essential gateway city to immigrants. According to asanet.org “from the year 1850 to now massive amount of immigrants have moved and lived
Kessner, Thomas and Betty Boyd Caroli, “Today’s Immigrants, Their Stories.” Kiniry and Rose 343-346. Print.
4. "USA QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau." State and County QuickFacts. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2012.
The humble beginnings of Los Angeles only further emphasize the uniqueness of the construction of the community. Los Angeles morphed from a pueblo into a major metropolis overnight. In the county of Los Angeles, a population of 101,000 people in 1890 soared to a roaring 2.2 million by 1930 (Villa 37-38). These immigrants were overwhelmingly Anglo, a stark juxtaposition to the previous majority of Mexican-Americans. From the moment of their arrival, this new majority began to create a new community. To understand this new community, one must use a socio-geog...
Despite having to battle discrimination and poor neighborhoods, second and third generation Mexican-Americans have made a great strife to overcome large obstacles. Mexican-Americans are finally gaining representation in city government representing the 9.6 million Mexican residents of Los Angeles. White politicians can no longer ignore Mexicans in Los Angeles, as former mayor Richard Riordan saw in the elections of 1997, in which his re-election was largely in part to the high turnout of Mexican voters in his favor. Although Capitalism still exists in the greater Los Angeles, its influence is not as great as it was fifty years ago. Los Angeles continues to serve as the breeding grounds for new cultures, ideologies, and alternative lifestyles. The pursuit of the American Dream becomes a reality for most immigrants in LA. LA is a great place to live, party, and be from. I knew little about the history of Los Angeles prior to this course, but now I am well prepared to answer the question of, “What makes Los Angeles, Los Angeles?”