Panel talks legal, illegal aliens

     A panel on Immigration in the US met to discuss controversial issues with students, staff, and faculty Thursday, February 15.  The A&S classroom that held the meeting echoed with opinions and questions for more than an hour. 
     The panelists included Javier Francisco, Begoña Rodriquez Liern, and He Xihao, all of whom are uniquely associated with the realities of immigration. 
     The conversations heated up as topics such as taxation, natural rights, and education all in regards to both legal and illegal immigrants were presented. Each panelist had unique and differing points of view, having originated from different cultures but eventually ending up in the US.
     The panel hoped to bring awareness to the issues of immigration in the US so that ideas of change can begin now.  “As a liberal arts school, students should put their education into application and think of resolutions,” Xihao said. 
     A list of pros and cons of immigration was projected on the overhead screen to spur discussion.  Pros included a melting-pot effect for a diversified culture, cheap labor to positively effect the economy and cost of living, and better awareness of humanity.  Cons included society being overburdened by illegals, criminal subcultures and gangs, and difficulty tracing undocumented people.  The subject proved itself to be complex and multi-faceted, as many different problems and issues were suggested.  
     A major theme of discussion hovered around the trend of Americans holding an anti-immigration point of view, which may stem from the view negative stigma on illegal immigrants that often gets branched out over legal immigrants as well.  It was suggested that stereotypes of illegal aliens often get tagged on legal immigrants, making it hard for green-card holding people to be well-assimilated into society. 
     “One of the biggest problems with immigrants is the stereotypes,” Liern said. 
      A major concern mentioned in the panel discussion was society being overwhelmed by major influxes of illegal immigrants.  Currently, it is estimated that over eight million illegal immigrants are living and working in the US, but that number does not include the household members also linked to each individual illegal immigrant worker in the work force.  What may happen if that number is increased is anyone’s best guess.  Equally so, it is hard to predict what could happen if that number is dramatically decreased. 
     “It’s a continuation of our relationship with immigration.  They come to escape oppression, and they come for a better life,” Francisco said, who is a US citizen because his mother immigrated to the US from Mexico several decades ago, before immigration laws were strictly enforced.
     Francisco, along with the other panelists, urged participants to think of illegal immigrants as people and as citizens of the human race, rather than people who are simply “trying to take jobs away from Americans.” 
     More panel discussions are in the works, and students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to attend in hopes of bringing the issues to the forefront of society in order that resolution may be thought through for the future.  In other words, “Expose yourself,” said Francisco.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 23 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry