The current technology available with the military and research institutes is sufficient enough to setup a complete border security program. Technologies such as sound and microwave pain production systems that are not lethal would probably deter illegal immigrants from proceeding when the pain is too much. We could also use an infrared fence and cameras to protect the borders sounding off an alarm as soon as the connection is broken. The government can use technologies such as RFID, facial recognition to track and bring illegal immigrants to justice. Providing ID cards or temporary visas and providing potential illegal immigrants with reasons to cross the border legally would be another method of curbing the increasing number of illegal immigrants.
Using these technologies to protect the US borders is not going to be cheap. It is likely to cost millions or even billions of dollars to implement. However, one must look at the current cost to tax payers because of illegal immigrants (prisons, healthcare, social security issues, tax issues, national security etc.), and look at the long term savings of implementing such a program.
One reason for migrants from South America is the number of available jobs and the higher wages, in comparison to their home country. Although a risky exercise, if one got across the border he or she had a pretty good chance of securing a decent job that paid decent wages. As for many US citizens, illegal immigrants were also affected by the economic crisis. As people spent less on remodeling their homes and indulging in non-essential commodities, the jobs began to dry up. Leaving illegal immigrants with very low or no income at all.
Illegal immigrants have been hit hard by the economic crisis since they cannot even lay claim to social services or government doles. Hence illegal immigrants have no option but leave the US and head back to their own country. One of the biggest issues they face is that they cannot afford to pay for their basic needs without a steady stream of work. Rent, food, electricity, water all become difficult to afford within a matter of weeks. Therefore the situation faces is along the lines of stay in the USA illegally and starve or go back home and try to find some sort of work. Some studies show that illegal immigrants living in the US has declined by as much as 11% in the last two years. Research also indicates that most illegal immigrants who have been in the US for a long time will probably stay and try to solve their dillemma, although younger, more recent arrivals will return home to try their luck.
One reason for migrants from South America is the number of available jobs and the higher wages, in comparison to their home country. Although a risky exercise, if one got across the border he or she had a pretty good chance of securing a decent job that paid decent wages. As for many US citizens, illegal immigrants were also affected by the economic crisis. As people spent less on remodeling their homes and indulging in non-essential commodities, the jobs began to dry up. Leaving illegal immigrants with very low or no income at all.
Illegal immigrants have been hit hard by the economic crisis since they cannot even lay claim to social services or government doles. Hence illegal immigrants have no option but leave the US and head back to their own country. One of the biggest issues they face is that they cannot afford to pay for their basic needs without a steady stream of work. Rent, food, electricity, water all become difficult to afford within a matter of weeks. Therefore the situation faces is along the lines of stay in the USA illegally and starve or go back home and try to find some sort of work. Some studies show that illegal immigrants living in the US has declined by as much as 11% in the last two years. Research also indicates that most illegal immigrants who have been in the US for a long time will probably stay and try to solve their dillemma, although younger, more recent arrivals will return home to try their luck.
With the global economic downturn there is a huge demand for cheap labor and a major source for cheap labor happens to be illegal immigrants. Because of their status as illegal immigrants and their need to find jobs, they compete with US citizens for jobs for much lesser wages. In the past illegal immigrants typically got the hard or undesirable jobs at lesser wages, those jobs dubbed as “jobs Americans wouldn’t do”. However, in recent times, skilled illegal immigrants are being employed for more decent jobs, eliminating Americans as the immigrants are willing to work for much less. Research by the Harvard University indicates that the influx of immigrants from 1980 - 2000 has resulted in a 3.7% wage loss for American workers and that American’s without a high-school diploma are the ones affected the most as they are in direct competition with illegal immigrants.
Illegal immigrants have a significant impact on tax and social security too. The IRS estimates that up to six million illegal immigrants file for individual income tax returns each year. Research also indicates that as much as 50 – 75 percent of illegal immigrant workers pay federal, state and local taxes and that as much as seven billion dollars a year is paid into Social Security.
