Thread: For Those on the Outside, the Urge to Be Here Remains

http://www.nytimes.com

September 3, 2006
For Those on the Outside, the Urge to Be Here Remains
By VIKAS BAJAJ
TO many beyond its borders, America remains the land of opportunity.

From October through May, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services received 3.5 million applications from foreigners for employment authorizations, green cards and other immigrant benefits relating to residency or citizenship. Though down 9 percent from the same period a year ago in a further decline from the levels in 2001, before immigration rules were tightened, that is one application for every 100 Americans.

Whatever you may think about the state of the American labor market or the impact of immigrants on it, there is no denying that the right to work and live in the United States remains highly coveted.

Of those seeking entry, two groups dominate the numbers: low-skilled workers from Mexico and other Latin American countries and highly skilled professionals from India and China, said Richard B. Freeman, an economics professor at Harvard.

For the first group, the American labor market offers a higher standard of living and many more job opportunities. Life is certainly difficult for the first ones across the border, but their children have a far better shot at the American dream.

The second group, most of whom have at least a college degree, have different reasons for coming. They could get jobs in fast-growing economies back home, but they earn far more here and get to live in a fully developed, modern society.

“We can complain about our labor market because we are born in the U.S.,” said Mr. Freeman, who is also director of labor studies programs at the National Bureau of Economic Research. “But if you come from India or Mexico, you have totally different initial expectations.

“I just can’t imagine when we will not be attractive to immigrants,” he continued. “We would really have to screw our country up and they would have to run their countries very well.”

I agree that there are many people who want to immigrate here but as we all are aware this country cannot take everyone in. There is also a big difference the first group mentioned in the article, that consists of Mexican and other Latinos and the second group of educated professionals from countries such as India. Both want a better life but at the end of the day we need to look at who has the most to offer this country. One aspect people seem to forget is the percentage of those Latinos who are only going to stay here till retirement and then return to their native land with a nice pension. Most of those people have no desire to become American citizens according to articles I have read in the Miami Herald. The government was at one point looking at ways to encourage those people to become citizens.
The government has to CAREFULLY think about who they want to let in this country for the benefit of the United States rather than looking only at votes.