Running head: IMMIGRATION REFORM 1

Chain Migration

Name

Institution
IMMIGRATION REFORM 2

Chain Migration

Migration has been a dominant feature in the development and creation of civilizations.

However, opposing opinions in leadership argue that the current rate of migration has reached

unprecedented magnitudes and requires to be regulated. The United States workforce as of 2016

comprised 16.9 percent foreign born persons (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017). A majority of

these immigrants, worked in service occupations, especially in the hospitality industry. Indeed,

only 29 percent of all the people working in the leisure and travel industry were American

citizens as of 2016. Therefore, eradication of immigration is a factor that would be detrimental to

the hospitality industry, and other service industries where the majority of immigrants work.

The tourism and hospitality industry, is a highly labor intensive industry that is a great

source for employment, creating jobs and overall contributing to the economic development

(Baum, 2012). In addition to this, this industry is particularly diverse, catering to the needs of

culturally, linguistically, and religiously disparate people. Moreover, the hospitality sector, is

greatly interlinked with other sector industries as well, including tourist guides, taxi drivers, gift

shops, and other transport forms (Baum, 2012). A majority of these duties, from working as hotel

and restaurant employees, to the other interlinked sectors, are performed by immigrants into the

country. This implies that the immigrants play a vital role in ensuring a continuity of economic

development in the country. The challenge rests with assessing the motives of all the immigrants

who seek to enter into the country.

Many immigrants are attracted to a foreign country by economic opportunities, perceived

welcoming political and social conditions, labor shortages, and an attractive and welcoming

cultural utopia (Baum, 2012). However, human migration has been associated with several

challenges in the host countries, from causing regional political conflict, causing economic
IMMIGRATION REFORM 3

recession and instability, and bringing internal instability in the country (Baum, 2012). It is with

this in mind, that the current U.S. government, seeks to reform the immigration policy to

eradicate a form of migration termed chain migration.

Chain migration, also referred to as family reunification, by opposing government sides,

is the practice whereby immigrant citizens endorse their families, both nuclear and extended, so

that they can have an opportunity to come to the U.S. and gain citizenship (Guild,2018). While

this is an important aspect in ensuring that families of immigrants are kept unified, fears arise

that the concept of chain immigration increases the chances of attacks on the country, that they

immigrants take up the jobs of Americans and that the immigrants lead to a reduction in the U.S.

economy. The proposed solution here is that chain migration should be eradicated to allow space

for immigration of just immediate family such as spouses and children; and to allow immigration

of only highly skilled and experienced people.

The largest percentage of lawful immigrants into the country, are admitted through chain

migration according to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), over 10.6 million immigrants

were granted entry into the U.S. from 2007 to 2016. Half of these according to (CIS), were the

initiating immigrants who ventured into the U.S. and settled, then the other half are those who

join as family members. Such that every immigrant, sponsors 3.45 additional immigrants. These

statistics raise fears that chain migration has exceeded any new immigration, and that action

needs to be taken.

However, immigration policy allows that this chain immigration occur. The spouses, the

parents, siblings, and children of naturalized citizens, are viable to enter into the country because

these categories are unlimited by the law (CIS, 2017). As a result, chain migration is the leading

source of immigration into the U.S.

IMMIGRATION REFORM 4

However, due to the great influx of immigration, the current government, seeks to make

changes to the current immigration system so as to regulate the extent of chain immigration in

the country. It is this regulation, that President Donald Trump endorsed seeking to eliminate the

green card categories in the naturalized citizen for their adult children, their parents, and their

siblings (CIS, 2017). Additionally, this reform will require that the visas be renewed every 5

years depending on employment status. This reform, seeks to admit immigrants into the country,

based on their merit and benefits that they bring into the country.

If this reform becomes law, then the impact of chain immigration as witnessed in the past

will be reduced, especially because siblings of citizens will not qualify for green cards simply

because they are family. Instead they may qualify on basis of whether they have merit. The great

fear is that if congress does not pass this bill, then there will be a continuing surge of

immigration into the country. Elimination of categories that cater to extended family members

will indeed reduce chain immigration. While this may be advantageous for the country, it is

important to consider that the immigrants, pay higher taxes, they provide cheap labor and skills;

and that they develop new businesses that help improve the economy. As such, while it is legal

and beneficial for the country to curb chain immigration, effects may be felt within the economy.
IMMIGRATION REFORM 5

References

Baum, T. (2012). Migrant workers in the international hotel industry. International Labor Office

Retrieved from: http://www.oit.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---

sector/documents/publication/wcms_180596.pdf

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2017). Foreign-born workers: labor force characteristics-2016.

Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/forbrn.pdf

Guild, B. (2018).What is “chain migration”? CBS NEWS. Retrieved from:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-chain-migration-definition-visa-trump-

administration-family-reunification/

Vaughan, J. (2017). Immigration Multipliers: Trends in chain immigration. Center for

Immigration Studies. Retrieved from: https://cis.org/sites/default/files/2017-09/vaughan-

chain-migration_1.pdf