Jesus Martinez Professor Massey-Jimenez ENC 1101 22 October 2013 Annotated Bibliography: The Need for Immigration Reform

Collier, Paul. Exodus: How Migration is Changing Our World. Oxford University Press, 2013 In this book, Paul Collier attempts to solve the debatable question of immigration, describing its gains and setbacks, and evaluating the factors that to current date, should determine those who should really be allowed to migrate and why. The book identifies immigration as a significant factor for economic fluctuation, and although it does describe negative setbacks to immigration, it also points out the economic gains that immigration provide for the economy of the United States. Disputing the often regarded argument of whether immigration benefits working citizens and whether or not immigrants in fact do take away job opportunities from Americans, the book states wellrounded predictions on how immigrations help the middle-class whom benefit of their cheap labor, but in turn, damage the working class who are faced with competition of workers who are willing to work for cheaper wages. This book is relevant and helpful for my topic in that it disputes and argues several factors that can attribute and support the ideology of it being a necessity to construct a reform that will be capable of relieving all these concerns. Cowen, Tyler. How Immigrants Create More Jobs. The New York Times 30 October 2010: 1. Print.

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The article argues and demonstrates how the continuous arrival of immigrants is actually encouraging business within the United States, which in turn accounts for the production of more jobs, a contrary to many previous speculations. The article states that immigrant workers low-cost labor allow for companies to not resort to off-shore employments and ultimately create more jobs domestically in the United States. Not only does the article illustrate how immigrants preserve jobs in the United States, it also highlights the idea behind immigrants filling the gaps of American workers, usually by taking jobs Americans generally wouldnt do, and for lower wages too. As a result to these so called complementary workers, domestic business prospects are enhanced rather than diminished. The article can be helpful because it provides information regarding the benefits of
allowing immigrants into the United States and can essentially provide support to the reasoning behind supporting a reform that would allow immigrants to stay in the United States.

Filindra, Alexandra, and Melinda Kovcs. "Analysing US State Legislative Resolutions On Immigrants And Immigration: The Role Of Immigration Federalism***." International Migration 50.4 (2012): 33-50. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. The article opens on the common belief that all immigration concerned policy was in regard to the federal government, and explains that now, a transition has occurred in which states have taken the matter into their own hands. The article explains that before, states would isolate their immigrant population and urge the federal government to take action, ultimately affecting immigrants in that federal involvement was slow and unresponsive. The article discusses the research on southern-bordered states, having the largest immigrant population from all in the United States. It notices and points out that although federal interaction is still made and states continue to appeal to federal authorities as part

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of the state-federal relationship, some states with large immigrant populations may have started to approach immigrants more like another domestic constituency, and less like a federally-driven problem. The article is relevant to my topic in that it discusses how states have taken immigration into their own hands in attempt of having a successful responsive policy in regards to its immigrant population. Discussing possible benefits to immigrants, the article can be helpful in emphasizing the importance of not only a state immigration reform, but ultimately, a federal reform. Michael P. Todaro and Lydia Maruszko. Illegal Migration and US Immigration Reform: A Conceptual Framework Population and Development Review 13.1 (1987): 101-114. Web. 21 Oct. 2013 The article emphasizes on analyzing illegal immigration patterns and flows from developing countries and signifying proper causes and factors in the decision of emigrating. Detailing that perhaps the most probable cause is the immigrants expectation of a differing wage from his/her current one. Yet, besides the obvious economic pursuit as a factor of decision making for emigrating, the article talks about two new factors that have become apparent in this decision making: the probability of capture and deportation and the degree of wage discrimination against illegal workers. Thus, with current evaluation, its clear that immigration has become a result of just more than economic variables. The article can be helpful when discussing my topic because it shows evident reasons why people decide to migrate into the United States in the first place and it discusses immigrant reasoning on their personal thought process of pros and cons on migrating.

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Explaining possible hardships an immigrant can experience once in the United States, the article can be helpful in my reasoning for the necessity of a reform. "Minority Rights." Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 11 Mar. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. The article shows the opposition of the different sides on the topic involving equality for all ethnic groups in the United States. On one side of the spectrum, people believe that not everyone is given equal treatment. An example of this would be immigration. Many immigrants, of different nationalities, faced discrimination. An instance in which this has occurred would be when the Chinese immigrated to the United States. They faced lower pay wages, were not allowed to reside in certain areas, and numerous other discriminatory motives. This is an argumentative example that can be used to show that not every minority group is given equal treatment. On the contrary, others believe that everyone does in the United States does receive the same equal treatment. Defenders of this issue realize that although racism has been a prominent influence in history, these people believe that policies that have been established from the U.S. government has promoted a society in which all receive equal treatment; they are under the belief that the United States has established a foundation in which all are given the same rights. This article is relevant to my issue because it highlights the two different sides of the dispute. On one side, you have a the social belief that ethnicity groups are discriminated, while others feel that the United States gives everyone the same opportunity of being treated fairly. Hence, the fact that it is representative to both arguments, it allows for views and counterarguments effective for either side.

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Open Society Foundation . Why Does the U.S. Need Immigration Reform? August 2013. Web. 21 October 2013. The article touches on the current struggles of immigrant life in the United States and reasons why an immigration reform is needed. Emphasizing that the current immigration system is broken and therefore faulty, it continues on by stating the obvious reasons for which a reform is desperately needed. For example it lists reasons such as separation of families, exploitation of immigrant workers, deaths in the border, and abusive discrimination. The article also details that the current system of legalization for undocumented immigrants isnt any good. Not only do some lack the necessary relationship with a legal family/partner, but even those that do and correctly follow the required process end up waiting years or possibly decades just to receive a visa. The article is relevant and helpful to my topic because it discusses several of the hardships of daily immigrant life, signifying the cruelty of no politically stable reform. It also shows the benefits of having such a reform, demonstrating that not only would it be a social obligation in concern to humane and equal rights, a reform could economically benefit the United States. Skerry, Peter. "Facing Facts about Immigration." American Interest Mar. 2009: 53-61. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. This article focuses on the social and political misconceptions of immigrants and signifies the fact that immigration has always been a difficult issue to address. The article also states how our leaders are weary on the matter as its an issue that must be addressed with both emotional and complex technical concern. The article continues on by saying that no

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major attempts have been made by political leaders neither to clarify immigration disaffection nor to clarify dilemmas that result from mass migration. As a result of the disinterest of political leaders, the article states that the American people have chosen to take matters into their own hands, and thus now these political leaders have taken action in order to prevent any racist or irrational anxieties, yet still refuse to understand them. The article can be helpful because it allows me a good resource that demonstrates that although immigration is a national issue, it is one that is hardly ever focus upon at a major level. Its also helpful in that it allows me to focus on how political leaders have not engaged in the issue and how the American people view immigrants. The Workers. Dir. Heather Courtney.1999.DVD Heather Courtneys documentary focuses on the experiences of immigrants, as they struggle to live in the United States, illegally, risking working undocumented in efforts of leading a better life and maintaining their families. The film is focused among two men, Ramon and Juan, whose lives are closely monitored across a span of a year, in efforts of unmasking the haunting reality that America is dependent on immigrant workers, but constantly contradicts itself, often not acknowledging immigrants efforts and discriminating against them. Among the experiences encountered as Ramon and Juan patiently wait for work and arriving at a specific job, the film depicts how often immigrants must constantly cope with new work environments, in which they dont seem to fit into. For example, in residential areas, where misconceptions tend to form rather easily and immigrants must face opposition, misunderstanding and racism as they try to organize and earn the trust of the local community. The greatest point argued across the film is the fact that America doesnt allow immigrants the opportunity to enjoy the

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prosperity they helped produce and create; The Workers reveals the hard struggles and constant work immigrants, like Ramon and Juan, must endure to live better lives, and how regardless of constantly having the country turn its back on them, they continue to rely and bet their futures on the United States of America. The documentary is helpful because it depicts the several struggles undocumented immigrants endure under current immigration law, pointing outs its several faults.