Immigration laws are a hot topic of debate in our nation right now. If you are an immigrant or know someone who is, you may be asking yourself how politics impact immigration law. There are two primary ways that politics can influence immigration law: the president's ability to make changes and congressional action.
The president has a lot of power regarding immigration law because he can issue executive orders or use discretion to grant or deny visas and green cards. Of course, executive orders can be reversed by the next president, but they can impact the lives of millions of immigrants for years after their issuance.
Congressional action also impacts immigration laws because they can pass legislation that has lasting effects on how our country treats immigrants. In particular, they can decide whether or not we should have a path to citizenship for undocumented people living in America today; this would allow them to stay here legally without fear of being deported if they qualify under certain conditions (such as having been here at least five years).
In this blog, we'll look further at how politics impact immigration law and our society in general. If you are or know someone seeking more information about immigration laws in the United States, feel free to reach out to us. Our firm has been helping those seeking more information in the New Orleans area about U.S. immigration policies for many years. Learn more about our immigration services or give us a call to schedule an appointment.
Why Does Immigration Play Such an Important Role in American Politics
Politics has a huge impact on how laws are written and how they're enforced. For example, when Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States, he made several promises about what he would do to change our country's immigration policies—and then he followed through on those promises by signing an executive order that led to more restrictions on who could enter or stay in our country.
One crucial part of this executive order was the immediate removal of those seeking asylum due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. But unfortunately, it also caused many people who were hoping to come here legally to be detained or deported before they even arrived. In some cases, families have been split up because one member was detained while another was able to get out of the country safely.
It's important for everyone who cares about these issues—whether you're an immigrant or not—to understand how politics will affect your life and your loved ones' lives if something changes unexpectedly like this again! Although the pandemic is officially winding down, recent United States Supreme Court rulings have maintained that the law should stay in effect until they make a ruling in the future.
Does Fear Play a Role in Immigration Policy
While some people who want to limit immigration are worried about terrorism, others are concerned about jobs and the economy. Some people believe that immigrants take away jobs from Americans and drive down wages, while others believe that they help create jobs by starting businesses that employ Americans.
A heightened fear of immigrants and refugees in the U.S. has led to a spike in anti-immigrant sentiment, which has also led to a significant increase in cases of hate crimes against these groups.
There is also concern about how immigrants will affect public schools and healthcare systems. There have been concerns about overcrowding in schools and hospitals due to an influx of immigrants. Still, there have also been claims that immigrants help keep public systems afloat because they take lower-paying jobs and pay taxes like everyone else.
Federal and State Immigration Laws
It is important to understand that two sets of laws affect immigration: federal and state. The federal government controls border security, naturalization, and international trade. The state governments oversee public benefits and employment issues.
When politics influence immigration law, they determine which issues will be dealt with at the federal level and which will be handled by the state governments. So how does this happen? Let's look at an example: New Jersey has decided to allow undocumented immigrants who have been living there for more than seven years to apply for driver's licenses. This decision was made because New Jersey Democrats believe that undocumented immigrants deserve equal access to driving privileges as citizens do.
Republicans oppose this idea because they believe undocumented immigrants should not have access to these public benefits or any other benefits until they are legal residents with proper documentation.
Passing and Enforcing Immigration Laws
The Trump administration made immigration law a big part of its agenda. Although the president failed to implement a travel ban on Muslim-majority countries, he introduced many other policies that continue to have a significant impact on immigrants and refugees.
The decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, for example, is affecting hundreds of thousands of young people brought to the U.S. as children by their parents. The DACA program allowed these individuals to stay in the country legally and provided them with work permits to support themselves financially.
This change does not affect all Dreamers—those who have been convicted of crimes are still subject to deportation—but it has caused anxiety among many others who are worried about how they will be able to pay their rent or make ends meet without being able to hold jobs legally in this country. It also means that some people may be forced back into hiding from immigration officials if they don't have papers again after living openly for so long under DACA's protection.
Congress has yet to vote on a bill introduced in 2021 that would provide a pathway to citizenship to those affected by DACA, and many believe that, ultimately, it will be ruled upon by the Supreme Court.
Do You Need Representation on Immigration Matters?
Most U.S. citizens generally believe that immigrants should be treated fairly and equally under the law. But there are many ways in which politics can affect legal decisions about immigration laws—from deciding who is eligible for asylum or other forms of protection from deportation to determining whether or not an undocumented immigrant should be allowed to stay in this country permanently.
If you or someone you know needs the services of an
immigration attorney, feel free to reach out to us. At the Law Offices of Malvern C Burnett APLC, we’ve been helping those in the New Orleans area with immigration matters for many years. Learn more about our immigration services or give us a call to schedule an appointment.
