I am basing my research project on immigration policies. The exact issue within immigration policies I have yet to decide. This is a hard choice because there are many topics, issues and controversies that expand beyond the United States. As of right now, I want to look at the differences between countries, their capabilities for immigration, and how their policies reflect their capabilities. I know that the immigration policies in the United States has always been open and welcoming, for the most part. The United States has the biggest refugee settlement program in the world, but recently this is no longer thanks to Trump’s executive order. I know that I am grateful for the immigration policies in the United States because my mother is an immigrant from South America. Other than that, I have a lot to learn about the policies in the United States and other countries.
The first article I read was about the Brexit in Britain and how it is affecting immigration laws. According to Bloomberg, when Brexit voters voted to exit the UN, they voted to have tighter immigration policies. Prime Minister Theresa May says she will but this will have a bad effect on the government. Tighter immigration policies could ruin relationships with other UN countries and ruin the economy. There needs to be a fair and enlightened system involved. For example, low cost access for skilled workers in information technology and other specialties Britain’s economy needs. In my second article on Migration Policy , I read about the executive order on the Refugee Resettlement Program that Trump recently put in place. Trump halted Refugee Resettlement for 120 days and after that, there will be tight restrictions and specific requirements. The executive order provides that refugee admissions may be resumed but not for syrian refugees. There was no explanation for this order and the President still has no comment. U.S. refugee program has been the biggest in the world and a pillar of leadership and Trump doing this digresses our country from the progress we have made. Both articles give me different insights in two different countries, and helped me understand immigration policies a little better.
To start, I think objectivity in research papers is key, because research is all about questioning what we know and learning more about what we don’t. I say this because you say that Trump’s immigration ban is digressing progress we have made. I’m not sure what progress you are referring to, but there are certainly things like vetting that the order is progressing. I’m not saying that the executive order is right or wrong, I’m just saying objectivity is important to preserve whilst researching. Also, make sure you do not let preconceptions stop you from becoming more knowledgeable on this issue. In the first paragraph, you make the point that the US has historically been very welcoming to immigrants. While we are obviously a country founded by immigrants and one very welcoming under Obama, we have actually not been all that welcoming at many times in our history. For much of our history we have had strict immigration quotas, allowing far less people into America than Trump plans to. We also have a history of other such activities, such as banning the Chinese from immigrating and even interning Japanese during WW2. You make many valid points and have a very interesting topic, I just think your results will be more valid and respected if presented through an unbiased lens. I look forward to your conclusion on this topic.
I do agree with you Matthew that we need to look at this sort of subject in an unbiased way, because if we let bias get in the way of knowledgeability, especially in our country’s immifration history, then we will never know the truth of what the US has done previously and thus will never have a valid argument about immigration.