It has been stated that 24 immigrants have died in ICE custody in Trump’s administration, 6 of them being children. This doesn’t include migrants and previous years. The issue concerning asylum seekers has been around for years, yet there seems to be little progress regarding the issue. According to the United Nations, every two seconds a person is forced to leave home due to conflict, violence, persecution, poverty, and hunger; yet there are people who try to make it harder for these people to have another opportunity or they believe they make the country worse. Should the United States be turning their back against people pleading for help?
Concerns over refugee resettlement started to increase about a century ago, coinciding with the start of the recession and a wider trend of government and local anti-immigrant laws. In relation to financial and social issues, when millions of migrants fleeing Syria caught the government's attention and President Obama raised refugee numbers, the idea that refugees pose security threats arose after 9/11 and gained actual momentum. Recently there has been new asylum rules that makes is difficult for asylum seekers to even apply as an asylum seeker. Under the rule, migrants who have crossed through other countries to get to the southern border cannot apply for asylum in the U.S. unless they have been denied asylum in another country. On one hand, you have people saying that immigrants are a danger to society, and on the other hand, you have those saying that they help the economy grow and should be given the opportunity to have a life they could only dream of.
Over the past two year and a half, refugees have been targeted together with other migrant groups in order to reach the Trump administration's goal of reducing immigration. The government raised alarms concerning the potential threats and highlighted the costs of refugees ' public money, iterated travel bans, and had a drastic reduction in refugee admissions. The situation has gotten worse since then, refugee camps have been set up along the border where more than hundreds of people are held, many of them being asylum seekers. New laws make it more difficult for migrants to seek asylum and it will just keep getting harder.
Many immigrants attempt to come to the U.S. seeking asylum, trying to flee gangs, abusive partners, and others who simply seek a better future. Research demonstrates that refugees are contributing to the labor and society of the United States. Following a period of adjustment, refugees integrate into financial, cultural, and civic actions and contribute to communities across the US. Refugees are a diverse group and their individual circumstances differ significantly depending on the quantity of time they spent in the U.S. and their nation of origin, background in education, gender, and age at entry. They enhance their English language skills over time, though many remain constrained by low English skills and poor academic performance that affect their financial results. On average, refugees work at high rates in labor force jobs, their salaries rise, and their government benefits decreases. Those who arrive young often graduate from college. In a fast track to get a green card and citizenship, many of them become residents and become business and home owners.
As a daughter of two migrants, I couldn’t be any prouder for how much effort they put in to make sure me and my brothers had the opportunities we have now. I am a witness to their efforts and determination and I will forever be grateful for it. They came with nothing but a few pairs of clothes and a few cents. As soon as they arrived to the U.S, they began working jobs others don't attempt to do. My father builds houses for a living while my mother cleans. Through these efforts, they bought a house, a car, and gained citizenship. Because of them, I don't live in pain, poverty, or hunger.
To conclude, I believe that there should be a better way to handle the refugee issue. Detaining the refugees in camps is not the way to go about it if so many migrants have suffered and died. Not every migrant is dangerous who wish havoc on the U.S. Many of them run away from danger or hunger, while others want to pursue a greater future. I think they should be able to have that opportunity if they really are going to put in the effort.