Homeland Security: Immigration Policy (Essay Sample)

Homeland Security: Immigration Policy Student Name
University
Outline
* Introduction
* Homeland Security and Immigration Policy
Ї Homeland Security
Ї Immigration Policy
Ї Immigration Policy in the United States
Ї Evolution of the United States Immigration Policy
Ї Categories of the Lawful Admission to the United States
Ї Enforcement of Immigration Laws
* Conclusion
Homeland Security: Immigration Policy
Introduction
Immigration laws are a vital element for a country to develop and be safe; they are used to regulate the entry of foreign citizens into their respective countries.
Moreover, policies are aimed at protecting refugees as well as those seeking for temporary or permanent asylum who may face abuse in their native land. Immigration policy has been instrumental in ensuring the safety of both visitors and locals in any given country. In addition, it has provided opportunities for tourism and international growth, especially in developing countries. It also contributes to restoring confidence in the government's sole objective of protecting its citizen's. There are various laws governing immigration policies. In fact, immigration policy has undergone several changes all over the globe. For instance, since it was established, the institution of immigration had been the subject of legislation in the United States. It is quite important to note that immigration policies adopted immediately aroused sharp debates among critics in terms of human rights concerning the freedom of interaction as well as the right of free movement. These have caused jitters in some countries, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom, which most people from developing countries see as safe havens. As this debate continues, governments of these countries keep strengthening their safety measures through legislations on immigration policy. This paper will explore immigration policy as entailed in homeland security. It will also endeavor to examine its contents as well as the changes it has undergone since its conception to the present day.
Homeland Security and Immigration Policy
Homeland Security
“Homeland security” is a term used to refer to the US government department agencies credited with the responsibility of protecting its states from any possible terrorist threats. In essence, its main concern is to ensure the protection of its citizens from terrorists' attacks. Their key aims are to try to minimize any hazards that may arise or any damages that can be possibly caused by any intruders. Moreover, they are also credited with reducing the country's vulnerability to terrorist acts. This cannot be achieved without involving immigration laws and policies. It is for this reason that homeland security works in close collaboration with immigration department to ensure that there is no influx of extremists into the United States of America (Kettl, 2007). It is clear that terrorist threats can arise from within or outside of the country. It is also well known that most patriotic United States nationals cannot conduct activities aimed at endangering the lives of its fellow compatriots. This leaves one possible cause of such activities: an enemy living within the borders of the United States or outside the country but planning to enter. For the criminal to get access into the country, the passage through immigration procedure should be passed through (Kettl, 2007). For this reason, immigration policies have a direct link with homeland security and require close monitoring to step up security.
The first records of the term “homeland security” dates back to the 2001 September attacks. There followed a reorganization of some of the main United States' government agencies. It may, therefore, be used to refer to actions or activities of homeland security department as well as other stakeholders, like Senators and Congress on homeland security. Homeland security department, therefore, has the
responsibility of protecting its citizens from external aggression, threats, and attacks. This department, along with Homeland Defense, incorporates over 180 federal agencies, including the National Guard agency, among others. This shows how crucial the functions of this department are. In this regard, immigration policies form an integral part of homeland security, as scrutiny of entrants into the United States, have to be made with reference to Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Homeland Security Act of 2002). Furthermore, it is through the strengthening of immigration policies that close scrutiny can be achieved to weed out extremists and terrorist threats, which would endanger the country and its inclusions. Homeland security and immigration policies are, therefore, inseparable as they work hand in hand to ensure the safety of the country.
Immigration Policy
Immigration policy has undergone tremendous changes in centuries since the United States was founded. Among the changes, the Congress' establishment to allow people born outside the USA to become citizens of the United States was of great significance. On the one hand, this caused a huge rush for work and other benefits in the United States for over a century from 1790. On the other hand, it increased threats to its citizens and resources as extremists envied the US progress. Among others, the outcomes were new tasks aimed at reviewing all the processes of admission to the country. This has seen numerous modifications to the immigration policy. These policies have been the most useful instruments in ensuring the safety of both visitors and locals in any given country (Bullock, Haddow, Coppola, & Yeletaysi, 2009). Immigration policies are developed to help strengthen its viability in the region; it also helps restore
confidence in the government's sole objective of protecting its citizen's safety.
The term “Immigration Policy” consists of two words: “immigration” and “policy”. Immigration means to enter a foreign country and may also refer to a lawful permanent resident, which means an alien who has been lawfully admitted into a country and given permanent residence status. Therefore, immigration policy may refer to the laws and regulations that have been formulated to guard the process of immigration. The Congress and the Senate are usually in charge of making these statutes. Governments cite security as the main reason for strengthening their safety measures through rigorous immigration processes.
Immigration Policy in the United States
Immigration policy in the United States has undergone several changes over the years to enable it to serve its citizens better. This has been aimed at achieving multiple goals. By doing so, the policy works to establish unity in families. The policy is also used to admit workers with definite skills. For instance, vacancies that experience continuous shortages can be categorized under this section for admittance of immigrants. This would assist the country to mitigate its labor shortages. Again, these policies are aimed at providing safety to people who face various dangers in their respective countries; these may include racial, religious as well as political discrimination, among others.
These may be also referred to as asylum seekers with valid grounds for their situations. The policy would, therefore, act to save them from oppressors in their countries of origin. Immigration policy also promotes diversity by enabling admission of people from regions with very low rates of immigrants through a program dubbed “diversity program” (Bullock et al., 2009). This is aimed at making the country a home to the representatives
of all cultural entities. All these goals of immigration policies are established to enable both temporary and permanent admissions to the United States.
It is quite important to note that these policies are well laid out and stated in the Congressional Budget Office Paper. The policy describes conditions for eligibility of various categories of legal admission to the United States (Congressional Budget Office, 2013). In addition, it provides the current reforms on the policies aimed at strengthening its executions and safety to American population, resources as well as airspace, among others.
Evolution of Immigration Policy in the United States
As stated above, immigration policy has undergone several modifications since the nation was founded. Policy makers have found it difficult to maintain the same regulations in a dynamic world over the years. The country faces several threats to its existence such as attacks by terrorists witnessed on September 11, 2001, among others. This led to various legislations that continue to link immigration policies to homeland security in monitoring unlawful/lawful immigrants with suspicious activities. Evolution of immigration policies began in 1790 when the Congress allowed people born outside the United States to become its citizens. This led to a colossal influx of people mainly seeking for jobs from all parts of the world. Later on, after about a century, in 1875, the country enacted another law that sought to limit immigration (Kettl, 2007). At first, it was just aimed at prohibiting admission of prostitutes along with other criminals. Due to the continual rise in immigrants, the federal government was given exclusive rights to guard immigration by the Supreme Court. In 1891, Immigration Service was established by the Congress (Kettl, 2007). However, the processing
responsibilities still rested on the federal government.
Immigration recorded its lowest le...