Large amounts of immigrants move into the US causing financial and educational strain

Today immigrants come from a plethora of different backgrounds. Most coming from Mexico, but many also migrate from the Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, El Salvador, Cuba, and Korea. The United States today is more diverse than ever before and this diversity continues to increase every
day. As a result, the diversity in such places as Northern Virginia is forever rising. In areas

image from latino.foxnews.com

surrounding the capital specifically, such as Virginia counties, Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William there has been a major boom of diversity, with the recent Hispanic migration as well as Asian. This movement has been occurring and increasing since the 1990s, but in recent months there has been major growth. In recent summer months, many people began sending their children to the United States as an attempt for refuge from bad situations in their home countries. As they came to the states with nowhere to go, the government sent them to designated states and areas, such as the Northern Virginia and Maryland region. As expert on migration and professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, Janelle Wong, points out as a positive in the midst of such a controversial social issue.

 
Contrary to what many believe there is some positivity within major areas of immigration

Although many consequences come with this large wave of immigration and many adjustments must be made, everything isn’t all bad. With the large wave in immigration over recent decades, the population of multiethnic citizens has increased as well, which helps to mix tradition and culture. This actually helps to bring the region together and immigrants also open their own businesses, not only adding to the culture of the area, but also helping the United States’ economy.   The United States was built off of immigrants and diversity and this same structure can still be supported by more recent immigrants.  Also, as previously explained these people are hoping to gain refuge from coming to the United States, so from a humanitarian standpoint this is a very positive phenomenon.  When adding in all of these factors of course the politics must be reviewed.

Wong made it a point to mention the political standpoint on the issue and how the recent influx of young people from the Central American region have changed the viewpoints of many politicians regardless of political party.

The political response which has come from the recent wave of immigrants has been both negative and positive. 

The negative consequences that follow large Migration to the Northern Virginia region

The consequences for this rapid growth is now, more than ever, extremely prevalent. There has been a housing squeeze causing many people to have to move from their counties, as well as a major effects on education and schools within the area. There has been and will continue to be an increase on the financial strain of the government and the amount that must be spent continues to increase. This amount will jump rapidly, as can be seen by the graphic to the right, if illegal immigrants are in the future provided full amnesty in the US.  Aside from that, schools in the area now need more resources than ever, not only to fit all of these new students into the schools, but in order to be able to hire help for these students that do not speak
English. More programs must be put into place in order to help these students learn English and then learn the basic grade level material. These children have just been placed in a foreign environment with no parents or place to go after coming from strenuous living environments, so many feel that counseling should be offered. The focus of many school’s then has to be teach foreign students to read, write, and speak English. The program implemented in order to teach English called the English
for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program costs about $3,454 per student. So with this large increase in foreign students, you can see how it can put a financial strain on these counties and areas in general. Additionally, teachers must spend more time on more basic concepts with these foreign students which may become problematic for those students who have lived here all of their lives and understand the basics. Education is one of the main concerns of the large increase in immigration, especially with the people coming over being so many children.
Alas there has been little to no solution given for these new arising problems.  Expert Wong makes a general suggestion that for the sake of long term benefits, the United States learns to deal with these immigrants.

There has been recent immigration law, but it doesn't seem to be enough

There have been more deportations then ever under the Obama administration, however it has been those who commit crimes who are deported.  Although at times they may be very petty, minor crimes.  Obama has made it a point to get rid of those in the United States illegally doing wrong.  More recently however, on November 20, 2014, President Obama made a very general executive action.  This new policy granted amnesty to all parents whose children were US citizens or had a green card and even made them eligible to get a social security card and social security benefits.  Additionally, this policy protects any child who was brought to this country illegally before Jan 1, 2010, but all of these people granted deportation immunity will have to have a background check and pay administrative fees.  However, the current issue has been the large amount of young children coming to the United States, unaccompanied by any adults, split up from their parents.  So these announcements seem like a fire and a miss at the current issue that has arose in recent months.  Yes of course what has been addressed here by the President is still and will always be a lingering issue, but for places like Northern Virginia and even the Southern area of Maryland it seems there may be some guidance or plan as to how to deal with this new group of immigrants.  Political solutions are lacking and strains continue on those in these areas. Another major problem is also education and there has been no solution to the strain these recent migrations are placing on the education system, for the students already there, the teachers, and financially on the state. 

In the duration of the summer of 2014, the Obama administration made a plan to send about $100 million to the aid governments of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador in order to help them with the children whom they intended to send back.  However, many of the children ended up staying in the United States and moving to designated areas, so again the policy seems a bit misdirected.  The Presidential administration did however go meet with the governments of these countries to let them know that the United States could not grant amnesty to all of these undocumented children and to try to ease the humanitarian situation that is at hand. 

Many politicians have been seen taking a stance more so against immigration because of the vast numbers which have recently come to the United States.  Even democrats are now becoming less “pro-immigration” as everyone realizes it is a problem.  However, there is sympathy because these people, especially these young children are only looking for a place to be safe, running from countries plagued with overwhelming amounts of violence, but unable to provide any type of protection. 
Many arguments say that this country was built and founded off of immigrants and that’s how the American Dream was created.  People argue that these immigrants in this new age should be given that same opportunity, to come to the United States and be able to work to make a better life for themselves and their family.  However, it is very difficult to completely see that side of the argument when there are so many problems domestically, what with unemployment, homelessness, hunger, and poverty.  Still, although sometimes unnoticed, those living in the United States, still have more protection from violence and such negativity than in other much poorer countries.  There is still much more of a chance of and an opportunity for success in the United States more so than in these poorer Central American countries from which these children are running. 

On a closing note, yet another key issue in this whole controversy is the fact that the parties of the government cannot put their differences aside and heads together to come up with a fitting policy to help the masses.  The United States government, it seems is worried more about politics than really solving the issue at hand.  There has to be a conjoined effort, as well as all of standpoints and problems of the larger issue looked at before law is created and signed.  There has to be a solution that will affect the country positively long term, not just to hold over for the meantime.  The humanitarian viewpoint must be considered though as well because the United States is seen as a beacon of hope and to be able to somehow accumulate the resources to offer these people hope and refuge would be a win on all sides.  Financially it would be very tough, but there must be policy to help the states deal with the strain.