Undocumented immigrants
Problem: We have over 10 million undocumented immigrants in the country
This is partially due to the difficult immigration policy in the US. Many of these immigrants are asylum seekers, refugees, or people who have overstayed their visas. Because they are here illegally and don’t want to get deported, they’ll want to keep their head down. This means they are susceptible to poor working conditions and lower pay, and can face retaliation if they speak up. A vast majority of people agree that we need a better way to keep track of the people in the country, but the debate is over how we should do it.
The wrong answers
The majority of undocumented immigrants are not coming here by crossing the border. We should absolutely secure our borders, but there are better ways to do it. 60 % of all people believe a wall is not the answer.
People who are held at the border in “temporary holding facilities” are subject to horrid conditions. There are instances of dozens of people being locked together in large cages, not getting showers for weeks, no access to proper medical care, and being told to get their drinking water from the toilet.
For undocumented immigrants who are already inside the US, the past administrations have sent many of them back to their country. Obama deported more immigrants per year than Trump. These deportations can happen at any time, and can tear families apart. Over 80 % of people are opposed to this, and favor a pathway to citizenship.
The correct answers
This allows us to observe the borders from a distance and alert authorities to a specific region. This is much more efficient than a border wall.
We should fine and jail business owners who employ undocumented workers. Crackdown on companies and shut them down if they are in violation. Business owners who rely on these workers would demand for a pathway to citizenship because they cannot afford to lose that many workers. Many undocumented workers who cannot find work would self-deport, which is much more humane than forced deportation.