Socio-Political Costs and Benefits

Introduction

There are countries which have existing concrete immigration policies. The United States, Canada and Australia are examples of traditional countries of immigration which categorize immigrants by place of birth allowing opportunity of comparing some aspects qualitatively and quantitatively. These countries together with Sweden and Israel, welcome immigrants with laws and measures facilitating a long term and permanent settlement though in case of Israel, they choose immigrants based on religion and culture. Human migration has taken a major participation in shaping and honing the present status of the population.

The decline of socio-cultural capital and values

It allows the diffusion and combination of the structures, cultures, beliefs, ideas, principles, religion, and other traits which results to the modification of each others traits. (2005) Rejection of the integration, however, results to conflict that may cause decline of socio-cultural capital and values. The growing population and influx of immigrants faces debate regarding complex issues. In Europe, there is a growing concern on how the immigrants affect their culture and national identity which comes with common language, heritage and ethnicity.

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(Cohen 2000)

Further queries have been raised whether or not to absorb the immigrants and allow them to participate in their national activities or to allow them to become their citizen without the thorough knowledge of their culture and heritage. During elections, opposition to immigration is always an issue in some countries like Britain, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy and Sweden. (Cohen, 2000) Immigrants in some countries are subjects of distrusts and fear. Opposition to immigrants often claims that immigrants have something to do with crimes and unemployment, if not low-wage jobs.

Racial discrimination

Racial discrimination tends to set in which affects the acceptance of immigrants to the host country and if not properly addressed to by the government will give negative effect to both the immigrants and the host country. Consequently, immigration issues become the central topic for studies of different researchers and sociologists. There have been clamor that immigrants are linked with social crimes in the host countries. This was contradicted by some researchers who conducted related studies.

Based on the studies in Little Village conducted by the Harvard sociologist Robert J. Sampson, having high number of immigrants does not mean high number of crime. Though Little Village is poor, a relatively low incidence of violence is recorded. (Eval Press, 2006) This was further supported by other researchers though commented that the next generations or children of poor immigrants may not be as optimistic as their parents and may have a negative assumption that they will not be given fair chance of making a successful career and self development in the host country. Migrant workers, on the other hand, have to embrace the low wage, high-risk jobs.

In the host country, the corporations took advantage of the situation enabling them to lower the wages of the migrant workers. This is in effect resulted to the claim of the opposing party of migration that migrant workers cause the low wages that are prevailing. This coupled with the issue of competition between the migrant workers and the native workers. In July 1, 2003, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Family put into force the human right protection to migrant workers whether documented or undocumented and eliminate exploitations of immigrants.(Addy, p. 22)

This protects the migrant workers from the increasing occupational health hazards they are facing despite of low wages and gives them access to trainings that will further develop their skills. (Addy, p. 22) Different countries have their own immigration rules and laws relative to the standing of the country on certain issues. Population control, culture, tariff policies, health concerns, investment policies, agricultural policies are among others which mold the rules and laws of immigration.

Conclusion

Implementation of the rules and laws of immigration also considers the relationship with the country of origin of the immigrants. It is also noted the United Nations monitor and influences the countries in making their rules for the benefit of both parties as well as making their own study and recommendations. Though the immigrants and their families experience hard adjustments on each others absence, they are ease of the burden of poverty.

The family members can now use the remittances for their needs such as foods, shelter, education, investments and even sophisticated telecommunication gadgets to make the migrant worker nearer. The community as well as the government will be eased by the lowering of unemployment and the cash inflow diminishes poverty-related crimes. However, the government should address the increasing rate of “brain drain” as migration rate increases. The government should device a process to produce more professionals to augment the loss of the skilled and professional workers to migration.