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=**Immigration Justice** = >> 
 * **Immigration is the movement of non-native ** people into a country in order to settle there.
 * **Why is this a social justice issue in the 21st century?**
 * The concept of social justice goes almost directly against enforcing the problem of illegal immigration. Social justice calls for a society that is based on equality and solidarity for everyone. Social justice is defined as the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a society . With illegal immigration, we reject foreigners and combat them with deportation. As this issue has grown over the past, Americans have come to view illegal immigrants in a common, derogative way. These undocumented immigrants come into our country and take possible jobs away from legal citizens, along with the fact that these undocumented immigrants do not usually have to pay taxes, but are still able to obtain social service benefits. The accumulations of these problems and violations dealing with the illegal immigrants have caused a common consensus among many American citizens to view these "aliens" not as actually people, but as a pitiable infestation. The social pitfall that these undocumented immigrants fall into causes them to become the exact opposite of social justice, unequal and viewed as less.

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 * ** Where is this a social justice issue? Is it more evident in some geographical areas than in others? If so, why? **
 * ﻿ This is a social justice issue mostly in the southwestern Untied States, but it effects the entire United States. It is most evident here, becuase this is the area nearest the United States/Mexico border. This border is where most undocumented immigrants choose to enter the United States. Most undocumented immigrants stay near the area of the country that they entered.
 * ** Who is primarily affected by this social justice issue? How are they affected? Why are they affected? **
 * The people effected by this social justice issue are the tax payers of America and the undocumented workers struggling to build a life in the United States. American tax payers are funding public institutions that are used by immigrants that are here illegally. For example; hospitals and school systems. This is unfair because undocumented immigrants do not pay taxes to support the government and are simply feeding off the public organizations. Illegal immigrants are affected by this issue because they have to face the fear of being arrested and deported, as well as getting around the government. Also affected are people like high school drop outs looking for low skill and generally unwanted jobs. Undocumented immigrants mainly take jobs that most people would consider undesirable and not enough pay. Unfortunately, undocumented immigrants do take jobs that American citizens that are drop outs or that don't have specialized skills want and need.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** What is the impact of this social justice issue – local, national, global? Which aspects of society are affected? (i.e. environment, media/communications, education, economics/commerce, politics, etc.) How are these aspects affected? Why are they affected? **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;">An estimated 12 million immigrants live in the United States as of right now. Almost all of these immigrants try to got jobs throughout the U.S., mainly in the southwestern area, so that they can support their families and begin their new life. They supply the United States companies, especially agriculture, with workers who will do the work that most Americans will not. Also, they give back to the economy by paying taxes. Although they come here illegally, they send their children to public school to get an education.

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 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** What are some of the major events have brought this issue to people’s attention? **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Since the beginning of our country, we have been a nation of immigrants. However, in 1880 we began to put restrictions on the number of immigrants that were allowed in (Philip Martin & Elizabeth Midgley). Then, again, in 1920 the United States set not only quantitative restrictions, but also qualitative restrictions (Philip Martin & Elizabeth Midgley). Even with all the restrictions there was always a heavy flow of immigrants. For instance, nine million immigrants were legally allowed in as residents to the United States from 1991 to 2000 (Philip Martin & Elizabeth Midgley). More than half of these people that were permitted as legal residents were in fact already living inside the borders with a temporary visa or undocumented (Philip Martin & Elizabeth Midgley). This truth reveals that there were undocumented immigrants even before the boom of undocumented immigrants from Mexico. This sudden increase of illegal immigrants can be traced as beginning in the 1970s when the Congress and the press reported the swell of immigrants entering without permission (Philip Martin & Elizabeth Midgley). After the press coverage on the issue citizens began to become aware of how the problem was growing and where it might go. After, in 1990 the state passed the Immigration Act which created groups of employment based immigration (Immigration Reforms In The 1990s). In 1996, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act was passed to set penalties on illegal immigration and define what would qualify for a deportation (Immigration Reforms In The 1990s). Then in the 2000 after the 9/11 attacks people turned from being afraid of the problem to fearing the actual people (Philip Martin & Elizabeth Midgley). This also lead to the assumption that these immigrants whether legal or not were possibly and realistically dangerous. From then on the focus has shifted from dangerous to destructive to the economy. Whether this is actually true is still debated today.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px;">**Who are some of the major figures associated with this social justice issue? (activists, advocates, government leaders, opposition leaders, victims, etc.)**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 115%;">Pro illegal immigration activists such as Isabel Garcia of Tucson. She participated in the beating and decapitating of a pinata effigy of Sheriff Joe Apraio of Maricopa County, Arizona. Using an effigy is never a graceful display of protest, however it does bring attention to how serious the matter is. A group called The San Diego minutemen, led by Jeff Schwilk, have been active anti-illegal immigration advocates, protesting outside of churches where suspected undocumented workers were worshiping . This is a major act against social justice, it is violating to demean a religious ceremony especially when it is a government issue. A government leader, Senator John McCain, is in favor of tightening border patrol because he sees it as a social issue and in a speech he said that an unsecured border between Arizona and Mexico has led to the worst violence he has ever seen. Barrack Obama, believes that would should treat the illegal immigrants nicer and with more respect. Also, Obama directly opposes the Arizona Law.

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 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px;">**Three open ended questions**
 * **How does illegal immigration crime affect America?**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px;">Should the United States adopt the Arizona Law? **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Should American citizens blame undocumented immigrants for the economic difficulties in the United States **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 115%; line-height: 22px;">Linked page **

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<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Works Cited:

Balan, Matthew. "CNN Inadvertently Exposes Pro-Illegal Immigration Activist's Inconsistency | NewsBusters.org." //NewsBusters.org | Exposing Liberal Media Bias//. 25 May 2011. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2009/10/22/cnn-inadvertently-exposes-pro-illegal-immigration-activists-inconsist>

Beck, Roy. "Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs - Updated 2010 | NumbersUSA - For Lower Immigration Levels." // NumbersUSA | For Lower Immigration Levels - For Lower Immigration Levels //. NumbersUSA. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.numbersusa.com/content/resources/video/educational/immigration-world-poverty-and-gumballs-updated-2010.html>.

Carrol, Archie. "OnlineAthens.com | Business | Carroll: Ethics' Role in Issue of Illegal Immigration 02/04/07." // Online Athens, Georgia News, Athens Banner-Herald Newspaper //. 3 Feb. 2007. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/020407/business_20070204017.shtml>

Davidson, Adam. "Q&A: Illegal Immigrants and the U.S. Economy : NPR." // NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR //. 30 Mar. 2006. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5312900>.

Dinan, Stephen. "Pro-immigration Groups Ready to Fight - Washington Times." // Washington Times - Politics, Breaking News, US and World News //. The Washington Times, 11 Jan. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/11/pro-immigration-groups-ready-to-fight/>.

"First Person: Illegal Immigrants Protest in Georgia." // Staple News //. 5 Apr. 2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.staplenews.com/home/2011/4/5/first-person-illegal-immigrants-protest-in-georgia.html>.

"UUA: Immigration Justice." // UUA: Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations //. Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.uua.org/socialjustice/issues/immigration/>.

Finnegan, William. "The Real Numbers on Illegal Immigration." //The New Yorker//. The New Yorker, 26 July 2010. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2010/07/26/100726taco_talk_finnegan>

"Illegal Immigration." // U.S. Immigration Support //. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/illegal-immigration.html>.

"Immigration." Def. 1. // Dictionary.Reference.com //. Collins English Dictionary, 2009. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/immigration>.

Sifuentes, Edward. "Anti-illegal Immigration Activists Eye Fallbrook Church." //North County Times - Californian//. North County Times, 8 July 2007. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/article_9c00ee4f-21c0-5dd3-b37f-45d6d75a2288.html>.

// SIRS Researcher //. OCLC. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-sub-display?id=SCA1277-0-9432&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N&keyno=0000012902&leadiss=Y&auth_checked=Y>.

"Social Justice." // Dictionary.Reference.com //. Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/social+justice>.

"The Midwestern Immigration Problem." Web log post. // Open.Salon.com //. Orbital Matters, 3 May 2010. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://open.salon.com/blog/saturn_smith/2010/05/03/the_midwestern_immigration_problem>.

Wagner, P. F. "The Dark Side Of Illegal Immigration." // The Dark Side Of Illegal Immigration: Facts, Figures and Data Show A Disturbing Truth //. Ed. Dan Amato. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.usillegalaliens.com/the_dark_side_of_illegal_immigration.html>.

White, Deborah. "US Illegal Immigration Explained - Profits and Poverty, Social Security and Starvation." // Liberal & Progressive Politics & Perspectives //. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://usliberals.about.com/od/immigration/a/IllegalImmi.htm>.