Introduction
Immigration is a growing concern for developed nations. Leaders and citizens in such nations feel threatened by the influx of both legal and illegal immigrants into their nations. Globalization has further made the problem more complex by opening up the borders. Information on various issues, such as business or job opportunities available in other countries can be accessed so easily from the internet.
Communication has also been made ease by the internet and other innovations that have occurred in this sector. The dynamic developments in globalization have been a force behind world migrations. However, the immigrants are not welcomed to various destinations they land to; they are often termed illegal immigrants and deported back to their original countries. This paper will explore Bacon’s sentiments on how globalization forces people into illegal immigrants and how the US immigration policies undermine immigrant’s workers rights.
How globalization policies push people into migrations
Migration to a foreign nation, whether on temporary or permanent basis requires an immigrant to obtain legal travel documents. Different nations have formulated different immigration laws governing the entry and exit of foreigners into and out of their country. World nations are keener on immigrants from certain nations because of security reasons. Citizens from countries associated with terrorism, piracy and drug trafficking are scrutinized keenly before being allowed entry into other countries.
Globalization has been cited as a phenomenon that highly contributed to imbalance between nations in terms of resource utilization and wealth creation. Differences in innovation and technology application levels have segregated nations into rich and poor nation’s categories. Desperate living conditions in the poor nations force citizens in this nations move out with an aim of seeking better opportunities in the developed nations. Globalization has provided a platform on which international trade thrives; this possibility has resulted into calls for international free trade.
Mexicans were the most affected in the problem of illegal immigration to US. Mexico’s president Salinas had had fronted for the signing of the “North American Free Trade Area treaty” so as to make Mexico equally competitive and reduce the number Mexican illegal immigrants to US (Bacon, 2008, p.53). Technologically advanced nations have developed mechanisms that substantially lower the cost of production. This makes them be able to offer competitive prices in the global markets. Poor nations have remained uncompetitive in the global markets because of high costs of production. Poverty index in poor nations has constantly remained high as a result, forcing citizens into migration.
Poor economic performance and inflation has been a cause some citizens to move to foreign nations to look for better living standards. A typical country in Africa where inflation has become an issue of great concern is Zimbabwe. Inflation rates are reported to have hit a staggering a thousand plus percent. Zimbabwean citizens have been migrating in large numbers especially to neighboring nations in search for better working terms. Bacon (2008, p. 64) points out that the economic slump in Mexico forced most of the citizens into migration to US so as to work for the stronger dollar.
Development partnerships between developed and developing nations have also contributed to unbalanced development. Developed nations dictate conditions to developing nations which are more beneficial to developing nations than developing nations. Programs such as the structural adjustment programs which the Breton woods institutions were spelling out for developing nations in exchange for aid are typical examples of lopsided conditionality. Bacon (2008, p.71) points out such a scenario where Mexico was forced to change the law that had initially prohibited US investors from owning property in Mexico in order to attract them back.
How the US Migration Policies Undermine Workers Rights and Unions
Most immigrants target the US with a mentality that they land job opportunities. There has been a high influx of illegal immigrants as a result, the illegal immigrants run away from poverty and civil wars in their own countries to look for asylum and better opportunities in the US. The immigrants have been accused of perpetuating criminal activities and drug trafficking. Such immigrants lack correct travel documents to enable them secure decent jobs; as a result, they pick up manual jobs in companies. These employers subjected immigrant workers to harsh working conditions, prompting the formation of workers unions to protect the workers.
The federal law on immigration bars employers from employing workers who do not have proper travel documents to the US. The law stresses that employers should check and verify potential employee’s travel documents before employing them. Such employees are also not allowed to join the workers unions. Employers in this case can fire such employees without fear of facing the consequences of the law. This policy also allows unscrupulous to exploit employees by not allowing them to exercise their right to join workers unions (Bacon, 2008, p. 142).
Conclusion
The world has over time evolved into a global village; globalization phenomenon poses numerous challenges to people in different places. The phenomenon has been a force behind streams of immigrants from developing nations to developed nations in search of better work opportunities. Some immigrants especially from third world countries run away from conflicts and civil wars from their own countries. Countries targeted by illegal immigrants have not been comfortable with the immigrants.
The immigrants have been associated with criminal activities and drug trafficking. To avoid these problems, developed nations set stiff immigration laws to protect their citizens from illegal criminal activities and job competition by illegal immigrants. Stiff immigration policies require that illegal immigrants are arrested and deported back to their countries of origin.
Reference List
Bacon, D. (2008). Illegal People: How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants. Boston: Beacon Press.