The old saying “the more things change, the more they are the same” seems to be true regarding our past 100 years of immigration history. Many believe that history is cyclical, in that history repeats itself. Some individuals acknowledge fluctuations throughout history, yet maintain a more linear and progressive perspective on its development.
The Cabrini Pledge invites Catholics to pray, reflect, and act on behalf of migrants, writes Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, guided by St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and Catholic social teaching.
For the past 40 years, undocumented immigration has been fueled by a lack of legal avenues for immigrant workers to fill critical jobs in the economy and a failure by Congress to reform the system to create more of those avenues.
The latest migration issue that could soon reach the Supreme Court for a decision is the contention, established by a Trump administration executive order in January, that birthright citizenship has not been applied as intended and is not the norm for the United States.
There are better solutions to the present situation than mass deportations. We need entry-level immigrant workers in the labor market to fill essential jobs, which has always been the American way.
The recent offer of self-deportation assistance by the Department of Homeland Security is a first for our nation, but it replicates the practice of many anti-immigrant countries.
The funding cuts initiated by the current administration, launched by the new and powerful Department of Government Efficiency, have indiscriminately affected many vital programs, especially those that impact migrants and refugees.
Although most people would consider the United States a nation of immigrants, consistent with our immigration history, there also has been a history of deportation, a history that begins with the now-controversial 1798 Alien Enemies Act.
In the more than 30 articles I have written in the last three years, I have spoken from the perspective of a person with a Ph.D. in social work, concentrating on the study of migration.
As we enter a new presidential term, the social policy question before our nation will largely be the restriction or expansion of immigration. A recent study succinctly put it in these terms: “Immigration has both advantages and disadvantages that must be considered. It provides economic benefits, fills labor gaps, promotes cultural diversity, and supports the global economy through remittances. However, it can also create pressure on public services, impact wages, and give rise to social challenges.”
