Breaking the cycle: five small steps to start the immigration reform process

The immigration debate is for some people a way to vent about everything that is not going well with

America

and that has gone wrong with their lives. Attacking immigrants, of course, is nothing new for at different periods of American history, immigrants have been the scapegoat for American problems and ills. I believe however that there are small steps that could be taken by congress to reform the immigration policy of the

United States

and to achieve an equitable balance between security and fairness without sacrificing American ideals.

1. The sad thing about the immigration debate is that it has focused on illegal immigration and not on the fact that it has become harder for the immigrants that

   America

   should want to migrate legally to the

   US

   . For this reason, I believe that something has to be done to make it easier for those foreigners who are able to earn a living in the US because they have the skills and the knowledge needed to stay and to become Americans. This means increasing the number of work visas, shortening the process, and making it less burdensome for those aliens who represent, to say things crudely, the best and the brightest of the foreign population.
2. The second small step that should be done is to make it easier for those people to bring in their families. Why? Because they will be able to support them and to help them integrate American society.
3. A lot more money has to be spent on programs, which will help integrate immigrants whether they are refuges or here illegally into the society. This means spending more on English teaching programs because after all, knowing the language is the best way to integrate a society. The reason why so many immigrants don’t speak English is because they can’t afford to do it for it costs money and for their primary focus is survival not integration.
4. Finally, the goal of the immigration policy should be to make it easier to become an immigrant legally. It is important that the emphasis becomes merit that is whether somebody can earn a living in this country and integrate American society. It is also important that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services find ways to deal more efficiently with petitions for immigrant and work visas. Right now, the amount of time that you have to wait to get a decision on your immigrant petition or to receive a work visa depends on where you live, which in my opinion, is unacceptable.