For my E-Portfolio, I plan to use Wix in order to present myself. From what I have read in the comparison articles and exploring the websites, it seems to me that Wix is more customizable and can give me the look that I want. I think I want my E-portfolio to be geared towards my internship search. I have dreamed of interning with the Equal Justice Initiative in Birmingham, Alabama since my sophomore year of High School. This internship is extremely competitive because of the fame that Bryan Stevenson, EJI’s founder, has amassed. I want to gear my portfolio towards my experiences regarding minority rights, diversity, and leadership. I have multiple topics to talk about, ranging from leadership positions in three high school clubs, my interactions with Delaware Senator Chris coons, and my future career goals. EJI is committed to providing representation to those who are facing death row. This is something that relates to my future goals of being a lawyer, so I plan to talk about how I have an aptitude for leadership and representation.
Some specific artifacts that I plan to use includes the Tyler Brown Pillar of service award, awarded to the High School Senior who displayed the most leadership and service qualities throughout high school. I also want to talk about how I met with Delaware senator Chris Coons to encourage his support of the first step act. I was President of two service clubs, “Salesians Without Borders” and “Salesians in Action”, both of which addressed minority communities. I can also use my involvement in mock trial in high school and moot court here at Penn State.
Andrew McCutchen is a 34 year old MLB veteran and current Philadelphia Phillie. Cutch was a legendary Pittsburgh Pirate, winning an MVP in 2013 with the squad. When the Phillies first signed Andrew McCutchen, I felt that we overpaid for him, and didn’t see the need for an aging veteran a couple of years past his prime.
In some respects, I was totally right. The Phillies have not been able to break out of their playoff drought since his arrival, and he is taking valuable playing time away from young players of the future. Despite this, I have fallen in love with Cutch’s character and view him as a massive piece to the teams chemistry. Fashion-wise, Andrew does not stand out on the field at all. He will be the first to admit that he does not have the drip similar to some of the younger 20 year olds in the league.
What Cutch lacks in prototypical fashion he makes up for with his over the top characters. I would like to highlight two of them today.
1: Creating the Greatest Baseball Card of All Time
Towards the end of the 2019 season, all playoff hopes had been lost for the Phillies, and McCutchen was no longer active after tearing his ACL. When Philadelphia unveiled some “interesting” throwbacks towards the end of the season, Cutch decided to break his typical traditional approach towards fashion and flex his style. Cutch unbuttoned most of the buttons on the jersey, and strutted around the dugout with a distinctive cup that undoubtedly symbolized an alcoholic drink. The look garnered tons of laughs and national attention upon its reveal, but it wasn’t until months later when the image was chosen to represent McCutchens 2020 baseball card when it enshrined itself into the history books
The card was the fastest selling standard individual unit in Topps history. This is extremely impressive because Andrew McCutchen is not a rookie, and his baseball cards would typical hold no value if it wasn’t for the picture. Nearly a year later, individual cards can be bought for nearly 400 dollars on EBAY. Signed cards can go for upwards of two thousand dollars.
Quarantine caused many people to switch up their lifestyles and re-evaluate themselves. Andrew McCutchen took on an alter ego during that time by the name of Uncle Larry. Cutch decided to put a name to the face of his famous baseball card, donning himself Uncle Larry whenever he would dress stylishly. Uncle Larry made multiple skits on his Instagram during quarantine, fully decked out in his Phillies red with a fake mustasche. Cutch has created shirts for his alter ego that Phillies fans have eagerly purchased.
Maybe Andrew McCutchen is on the verge of a mid-life crisis. Maybe he is just trying to enjoy the down end of his career. Either way, I am totally here for it and I respect all the effort that he has put into attempting to make the Phillies clubhouse atmosphere more bright.
The Carson Wentz era of Philadelphia has come to a sudden and disappointing end, after five seasons of hope, stardom, and ultimate disappointment. Despite the immense promise that the quarterback showed during his 2017 Super Bowl Season, the up and down QB felt that a change of scenery may do him good, and the Eagles agreed. Enter, Jalen Hurts. Hurts was a surprise second round draft pick from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020. A star Quarterback out of Oklahoma, Jalen is poised to be the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback during week one of the 2021 season.
Hurts saw a bit of play time at the tail end of last season and has already cemented himself as a beloved figure across the city and in the mind of young football fans. Although his play was shaky to say the least, the Eagles won some games, and in Philly that is all that matters. Many people are excited about Jalen Hurts because of his capacity to carry on the legacy of great African American quarterbacks to play for the eagles. Historically, African Americans at the quarterback position were a relatively rare sight, unless they were on the Eagles. Star quarterbacks like Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, and Mike Vick are some of the most accomplished African Americans at the position, and all of them were Philadelphia Eagles. This narrative is certainly changing around the league however, as QBs like Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes are some of the best in the league.
Jalen Hurts is extremely proud of his heritage and carries into both his in-game-antics and fashion. If you watch the sidelines after an Eagles touchdown drive, you will likely see Jalen toss up his hand and stick out his tongue to the side. This symbol pays homage to the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, which is a historically black fraternity. The fraternity began at Howard, and Hurts is the first member to start in the NFL at quarterback since Steve McNair. The fraternity is probably the most well-known, historic, and respected historically black organizations in the United States. Famous alumni throughout the country have expressed their joy when seeing Hurts throw up the symbol.
Hurts has a great sense of off field fashion. In a recent interview with GQ, Hurts says that he spent his first million stocking up his wardrobe and then saving the rest. Most of his style choices are rooted in his heritage, but he always finds ways to make his fit work. In the image below, Hurts is rocking a vintage Kobe Bryant Lower Merion High School jacket. This Jacket pays homage to a Philadelphia area legend, and a beloved African American icon. He wore this while donating $30,000 to a Nottingham, PA area child battling cancer. Although Hurts definitely doesn’t mind wearing flashy suits postgame, I’ve also never seen a Philadelphia athlete wear as much Philadelphia themes clothing as he does. Hurts loves to wear Phillies, Flyers, 76ers, and Eagles gear at various fundraisers and football workouts.
Although I predict the Eagles will be downright horrendous this season, I hope Hurts is our QB of the future. He is fun, a great teammate, and an advocate. I’m excited to watch him get a full 17 games under his belt in 2021.
For my Advocacy Project I plan to break away from what I have written about in my issue brief and focus on a different topic more tailored to the Penn State community. I want to advocate for the implementation of wellness days into regular (non-COVID) semesters at Penn State. I want to write about the toxicity of “grind culture” (all nighters, long cram sessions, few breaks) and talk about the value of having days off from classes. I personally find wellness days to be very productive days for me. I don’t just sit around, but I catch up and get ahead, in a relaxed format. I think I can present this project in a cool way, maybe by interviewing peers about how they use their wellness days and whether or not they feel burnt out by “grind culture”. I think this topic plays perfectly into the valued expressed in the hierarchy of needs. A second topic I am considering advocating for is the reduction of wasteful plastic products at the Penn State dining hall. I plan to talk about the negative effect that excessive uses of plastic bags and Styrofoam containers have on Penn State’s indirect carbon footprint when considering production, dive into the staggering numbers of meals served in wasteful containers each day and encourage Penn State students to refrain from grabbing plastic bags when getting food from the dining hall, especially when they are eating their food in the building.
When reading “Photographer as Witness: A Portrait of Abuse”, I was struck by the imagery and was left wondering how in the world a man could lash out like that ESPECIALLY when there is a professional photographer documenting him. When I sat and thought about it, I came to the conclusion it was because the man was so clouded by his own thoughts, and probably lost all sense of rationality. This is why I think the photographers work is both art and advocacy. It is rare that images like these are captured, and they are so powerful to me because it really shows the irrationality of domestic violence. I think this has the capacity to be an advocacy piece because if I were a domestic abuser looking at these photos, I would see how brutal and unacceptable these actions are, regardless of what one is feeling inside. I do think advocating against domestic violence through this mode is a long shot however, because just like any crime, most offenders know their actions are wrong in some capacity and choose to act anyway. I view this article as a piece of art as well, because it captures a human family in a natural form, and is an extremely raw documentation. I definitely feel that this documentation of this family is ethical. It seems that this project was observational. I do not think that there were underlying assumptions in this message, because the message was not even supposed to be pertaining to domestic violence in the first place. I wouldn’t even say that the photographer made an argument, but rather let her undoctored photos create its own natural argument.
Flashy styles and statement clothing is not really the first though that comes to mind when considering the sport of golf. That’s because flashy styles and statement clothing don’t really exist in the sport! After playing a couple of holes myself, I have began to watch golf much more and have developed a deep appreciation for some of the sport’s most famous athletes. Although you will never see a personality like Cam Newton rocking a leopard hat into the course, there is a sort of professional style that I think will soon again come to dominate the world of athlete fashion.
My favorite professional golfer, Brooks Koepka, has established himself as a formidable name in the world of golf. I first learned about Brooks because he is a reoccurring guest on my favorite podcast, “Pardon My Take”, which brings athletes on and asks them questions that typical interviewers would never have the confidence to ask.
Brooks is youthful compared to many of his competitors and brings that flare both into his game and his style. Brooks is seen above wearing his very own “Off White” brand golfing shoes. One of the most famous elements of the Off-White sneaker is the tie that remains attached as part of the shoe. Commentators were completely confused when viewing the shoe from a distance, and assumed that he had “forgotten to take the zip-tie off”. When asked about his shoes after his 18 hole round, Brooks described:
“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s Off-White. It’s fashion. I guarantee the whole golf world has no clue what Off-White is, but it’s fresh. If you’re a sneaker head, you’ll get it — or into fashion. Sneaker heads know, yeah.” – HighSnobiety
I find this quote rather hilarious because Brooks basically alludes to the complete lack of style-awareness that the golf world has, and the commentators confirmed his accusations while he was golfing. I like how Brooks brings a new style to the game because in a sport that lacks action, flare, and stardom, a little modern style is much needed. I like how Brooks is able to maintain the classic elements of a golf look (polo, hat, khakis, etc), while sparking conversation with one specific piece.
Postgame, Brooks brings the style as well. In opposition to many golf players who don’t change after a round, brooks likes to show his style similar to athletes across others sports. He’s not doing too much, but I think it is significant that he is making an obvious effort to spice things up both on and off the course.
The 2021 Masters begins April 8th and will last until the 11th, and Koepka intends to play despite his recent knee surgery. Koepka had knee surgery only one month ago, but says he fully intends to go into the Masters and win. I want to see him succeed because I think he is a breath of fresh air in the sport of golf, and is a good role model to young golfers who have the capacity to change the game.
In 1990, there were an estimated three and a half million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. In 2017 a report released by the Office of Immigration Statistics presumed an undocumented immigrant population of roughly 11 million. The near tripling of the United States undocumented migrant population throughout the past thirty years has sparked intense controversy, swayed elections, and altered public perception about the United States migrant population. Although immigration policy was one of the most defining legacies of the Trump administration, the 2020 Presidential Election exposed the intense polarity regarding the issue as President Biden promoted his comprehensive plans to reverse former President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies. At the root of Biden’s plan is his proposition of a bill that would offer an eight-year path to citizenship for the 11 million migrants living in the United States.
This proposal comes in recognition of the wide-reaching effects that an increase in undocumented immigration has had on the country and immigrant populations. United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has had to reallocate their efforts towards an increased domestic presence more focused on the detention and deportation of individuals residing in the United States as opposed to solely concentrated border efforts. Efforts on the border have become clogged as immigration patrol struggles to balance deportation efforts as well as deterrence along the Mexican American Border wall. Not only has undocumented migration become costly for border patrol, but the label of “undocumented” scars millions across the country. Families are forced to exist under the radar, finding underground work with little upwards mobility. Both within and surrounding border cities like El Paso, Texas, individuals live in constant fear of ICE capture
Undocumented migrants account for a significant percentage of the country’s workforce, do not pose a significant threat to national safety, and are a symbol of the power of the American Dream. America’s current system of immigration control geared towards detention, deterrence, and deportation does not recognize these values, and contributes to an inefficient process that burdens the lives of tens of millions of migrants, past and present, who have interacted with the system. The recent transfer of power within the United States government has placed the country in the hands of a leader who is in support of a process that recognizes the humanity of undocumented migrants and sees the benefit of providing them a path towards citizenship. If federal legislatures support providing a path towards equality and security for those who have already proven their capacity to contribute, they will work in accordance with President Biden’s eight-year path to citizenship plan.
Undocumented Migrants and the United States: Economics
Opponents of America’s undocumented migrant population cite various negative generalizations about undocumented people in order to justify active deportation efforts of non-risk migrants. One of the most common criticisms of the undocumented migrant population is rooted in the notion that those living under the radar leach off of the benefits of being an American citizen without contributing to the social dues necessary to enjoy these benefits in a justified manner. The United States has become extremely wary of granting citizenship to those of modest means along the border, as seen through the “Public Charge” rule, which directs immigration officials to reject citizenship applications that indicate a need for copious amounts of public benefits. Despite widespread economic fears, it has been proven that undocumented migrants provide significant aid to the United States economy
An estimated minimum of eight million undocumented migrants are actively engaging in the United States workforce, either through under the table work or employment through private companies/households
Undocumented migrants make up approximately 3.2 percent of the U.S. population but 4.4% of the country’s workforce
Increased geographic mobility of migrants make the undocumented population capable of quickly responding to worker shortages, filling jobs in need.
Contrary to popular belief, undocumented immigrants do pay taxes. A 2017 report by the Institute On Taxation and Economic Policy provides an estimate stating that the countries undocumented population pays “8% of their incomes in state and local taxes”.
A 2016 study performed by the Center of American Progress found that removing the economic impact of undocumented immigrants would reduce national GDP immediately by 1.4%, and 2.6% in total.
The economic benefits that undocumented immigrants provide to the United States economy is significant and essential. Providing a concrete path towards citizenship for this demographic will only increase economic contributions. A proposed path to citizenship plan in 2013 estimated that the integration of undocumented immigrants would have decreased federal budget deficits by nearly one trillion dollars over the span of 20 years, and increased the nations GDP significantly.
Undocumented Migrants and the United States: Security
Safety and security concerns are a popular talking point when considering the presence of undocumented immigrants living in the United States. Many accuse immigrants, both undocumented and legal, as major contributors to America’s drug trade. Politicians who oppose a more progressive stance towards immigration control have not hesitated to use divisive rhetoric in an attempt to describe undocumented immigrants as “aliens”. Former President Donald Trump said in 2018:
“We have people coming into the country or trying to come in, we’re stopping a lot of them, but we’re taking people out of the country. You wouldn’t believe how bad these people are. These aren’t people. These are animals.”
In a study evaluating crime rates between Undocumented migrants and Legal-Born U.S. citizens, US citizens are two times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, and over 4 times more likely to be arrested for property crimes.
Undocumented migrants have the lowest felony arrest rates when looking at all four crime types.
“In 2018, the illegal immigrant criminal conviction rate was 782 per 100,000 illegal immigrants, 535 per 100,000 legal immigrants, and 1,422 per 100,000 native‐born Americans. The illegal immigrant criminal conviction rate was 45 percent below that of native‐born Americans in Texas”
No relationship except for a weak negative relationship exists between immigration and crime
Between 2007 and 2016, crime rates continued to fall across the country despite the drastic increase in illegal immigration
Highly populated areas with more undocumented immigrants reported significantly lower property crime rates and relatively equal violent crime rates than less populated areas
Talk about unnecessary federal spending on efforts that have proven ineffective
Talk about effects on undocumented migrants from a moral standpoint
Life of fear, little upward mobility opportunity, restrictions
Time for Action: The Effects of the Trump Administration on Undocumented Life
Briefly describe Trump’s legacy/its issues
Living in fear/creating fear
Quotes
A Clear Path Towards Citizenship: Key Elements
Description of proposed path towards citizenship
Holistic background checks
Describe
Work experience
Both in US and elsewhere
8 year track
why 8 years?
Benefits of Providing a Path Towards Citizenship
Economics
Describe
Reallocation of time and effort across border
Resources can be placed elsewhere
Controversy control
Conclusion
draw on fact that border cities already recognize the value of including these people into U.S. community
mutually beneficial
call for action
I apologize for an incomplete draft. Hopefully my plan for the rest of my issue brief is evident through the outline of my last 4-5 sections as well as a partial draft.
Questions
do I get off topic anywhere
is there any concept that I should explain more
is there any part of my rough draft that does not seem backed by enough evidence
My works cited is currently being crafted, and I have a source for each of my facts stated. I currently have about 20-25 sources from what I have written so far, and plan to have more as I continue to write
On Thursday April 1st, Major league baseball will play its first slate of games for the 2021 season. After witnessing a short, unique, and intense 60 game season in wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, I can’t wait for baseball to return to its classic form this year. Some people however, criticize the MLB for it’s lengthy season, boring games, and poor marketing of star players. Although I personally love the 162 game season, I realize that the MLB has a major problem in terms of promoting their sport to younger audiences and making the game fun.
In recent years the MLB has made a couple of glaring attempts to market the sport in new and exciting ways, the most notable of which being “Players Weekend”. During players weekend, players are allowed to wear completely customized cleats, change the name on the back of their jersey to their nickname, and wear vibrant jersey colorways designed by players and teams. Two teams also get to play in Williamsport, PA during the height of the Little league World Series, in a stadium filled with children participating in the tournament. The entire weekend is a celebration of the sport and the players that make it so great, and I think it is the MLB’s strongest marketing ploy right behind their Home Run Derby and All Star game. Lets take a look at some of the Players Weekend style choice over the years.
Without a doubt, my favorite Players Weekend Jerseys came in 2018, where the theme was extremely vibrant and modern looking.
This image of Rhys Hoskins and Tommy Hunter of the Philadelphia Phillies showcase the capacity for player creativity over the weekend. Rhys Hoskins has earned the nickname “Big fella” early on in his career, presumably paying homage to the “Big Piece” Ryan Howard who was his predecessor at first base for the Phillies. Hoskins had an electric players weekend in 2018, turning a diving catch into a double play.
One of my favorite parts of players weekend is seeing the veterans get the respect and love that they deserve. Albert Pujols will go down as one of the greatest baseball players to ever grace the field, and his nickname “The Machine” is notorious and beloved. It is really cool seeing players like Albert who played the bulk of their careers without opportunities like Players Weekend, to put on a fun jersey and be praised by fans and teammates alike. Albert entered the league in 2001, and will likely retire in the coming years as a surefire first ballot Hall of Famer.
2019 was the league’s most recent players weekend as the MLB chose to skip the event last year because of the shortened season. I really disliked the route that the league went with their jerseys in 2019. Teams were given either white or black jerseys depending on their typical colorway. Although I found the jerseys to be boring and not on par with 2018, it allowed players a decent opportunity to pair their accessories with a plain background.
The MLB certainly fell short in 2019 in terms of their Players Weekend jerseys, and it falls in line with the general trend of the league: a failure to make the efforts necessary to promote their young stars. Mike Trout (pictured above), is on base to be the single greatest baseball player to ever play the sport in terms of holistic statistics. Despite this, the MLB struggles to market their “GOAT” in any meaningful way that grasps the interests of a younger fanbase. Trout plays for the Los Angeles Angels, a relatively small market team, and he is not as flashy as some of the other team’s young stars. If it were up to me, when players weekend rolls around I would make sure that Mike Trout is wearing a stunning jersey and playing in Williamsport in front of members of the little league world series. Players like him need to take center stage during special weekends like Players weekend, not be stuffed away in Anaheim, LA wearing a plain black jersey!
In 1990, there were an estimated three and a half million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. In 2017 a report released by the Office of Immigration Statistics presumed an undocumented immigrant population of roughly 10.5 million. The near tripling of the United States undocumented migrant population throughout the past thirty years has sparked intense controversy, swayed elections, and altered public perception about the United States migrant population. Although immigration policy was one of the most defining legacies of the Trump administration, the 2020 Presidential Election exposed the intense polarity regarding the issue as President Biden promoted his comprehensive plans to reverse former President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies. At the root of Biden’s plan is his proposition of a bill that would offer an eight-year path to citizenship for the 10.5 million migrants living in the United States.
This proposal comes in recognition of the wide-reaching effects that an increase in undocumented immigration has had on the country and immigrant populations. United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has had to reallocate their efforts towards an increased domestic presence more focused on the detention and deportation of individuals residing in the United States as opposed to solely concentrated border efforts. Efforts on the border have become clogged as immigration patrol struggles to balance deportation efforts as well as deterrence along the Mexican American Border wall. Not only has undocumented migration become costly for border patrol, but the label of “undocumented” scars millions across the country. Families are forced to exist under the radar, finding underground work with little upwards mobility. Both within and surrounding border cities like El Paso, Texas, individuals live in constant fear of ICE capture
Undocumented migrants account for a significant percentage of the country’s workforce, do not pose a significant threat to national safety, and are a symbol of the power of the American Dream. America’s current system of immigration control geared towards detention, deterrence, and deportation does not recognize these values, and contributes to an inefficient process that burdens the lives of tens of millions of migrants, past and present, who have interacted with the system. The recent transfer of power within the United States government has placed the country in the hands of a leader who is in support of a process that recognizes the humanity of undocumented migrants and sees the benefit of providing them a path towards citizenship. If federal legislatures support providing a path towards equality and security for those who have already proven their capacity to contribute, they will work in accordance with President Biden’s eight year path to citizenship plan.
The tripling of the United States undocumented citizen population throughout the past thirty years has sparked intense controversy, swayed elections, and altered public perception about the United States migrant population. A 2017 estimate released by the Office of Immigration Statistics presumed an undocumented immigrant population of roughly 10.5 million currently residing in the United States. Although this number is lower than the estimated 12 million migrants in the United States during 2015, it is estimated that roughly 70,000 additional undocumented migrants will enter the United States this year (Kamarck).
The United States immigration dilemma spans far beyond the immediate crisis on the Mexican-American border, but festers constantly in the lives of the ten and a half million migrants who must work to avoid capture from border patrol. President Biden has recognized the need for the United States to address immigration issues in a multifaceted manner, and has proposed legislation that would allow undocumented migrants currently residing in the United States a path towards citizenship.
Do I think This Is a Good Idea?
For years, astronomically high expectations have been set for those seeking citizenship and asylum in the United States. Migrants who become citizens of the United States are expected to work particularly hard and contribute just as any American citizen would. One of the primary condemnations of illegal immigration is the fact that undocumented migrants are not forced to pay taxes and engage in the social constructs that are expected of citizens.
The problem with this perception is it ignores the fact that just about any attempt by an undocumented migrant to explicitly engage in what is expected of American citizens could result in a swift deportation, or years of grueling detention or separation. The expectation for undocumented migrants to act as American citizens and the realization of their failure to do as such makes light of the extreme risks that come with getting identified by the federal government as illegal.
Despite these flawed expectations, an estimated minimum of 8 million undocumented migrants were actively engaging in the United States workforce, whether that be under the table employment or working for a private companies/households. One of the most popular statistics that describe the role that undocumented migrants play in the United States workforce is the fact that “Undocumented migrants make up approximately 3.2 percent of the U.S. population, but 4.4 percent of the countries workforce” (release).
With these statistics considered, it is true that migrants currently living in the United States are capable of contributing to the United States workforce. Providing the opportunity for citizenship will benefit both the country and the migrants themselves, making them capable of paying taxes, and relieving the constant stress that comes with hiding from Border Patrol.
Many border cities like El Paso, Texas already recognize the importance of allowing migrants a platform to feel safe in order to enable increased contribution. Schools like the University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) work closely with migrant families to provide undocumented students an education and a path towards a degree. The school, along with other universities like South Texas College, are committed to “helping others achieve the American dream” through education and interaction (UTEP).
I think that the best evaluation of the undocumented community comes by looking at border cities like El Paso, whose community is built around hardworking migrants. Because of this, I am in full support of a path to citizenship for undocumented families and individuals.
Prerequisites In Order to Obtain Citizenship
Of Course, the path to citizenship for undocumented migrants will be intensive and holistic, considering one’s ability to pay taxes, gain employment, and uphold the safety and security of the United States. President Biden has already clearly stated his intention for deep background checks to be performed prior to the beginning of citizenship proceedings, as well as any records of employment/tax participation both prior to and during one’s time in the United States.
The emphasis on background checks already described by President Biden comes in response to public reservations about crime stemming from immigration. In a study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science evaluating crime rates between Undocumented migrants and Legal-Born U.S. citizens, US citizens are two times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, and over 4 times more likely to be arrested for property crimes. Undocumented migrants also have the lowest felony arrest rates when looking at all four crime types (PNAS). Despite these statistics, there still remains a relatively strong stigma that labels undocumented migrants as “illegal aliens”. President Biden will likely be pressured to make background checks strict, intensive, and unforgiving if he is to win any ounce of bipartisan support in his mission to provide citizenship
Works Cited
Kamarck, Elaine, and Christine Stenglein. “How Many Undocumented Immigrants Are in the United States and Who Are They?” Brookings, Brookings, 27 Oct. 2020, www.brookings.edu/policy2020/votervital/how-many-undocumented-immigrants-are-in-the-united-states-and-who-are-they/.
“RELEASE: Millions of Undocumented Immigrants Are Essential to America’s Recovery, New Report Shows.” Center for American Progress, www.americanprogress.org/press/release/2020/12/02/493404/release-millions-undocumented-immigrants-essential-americas-recovery-new-report-shows/.
Light, Michael T., et al. “Comparing Crime Rates between Undocumented Immigrants, Legal Immigrants, and Native-Born US Citizens in Texas.” PNAS, National Academy of Sciences, 22 Dec. 2020, www.pnas.org/content/117/51/32340.
“UTEP Partners in New National Effort to Help ‘DREAMers’ Obtain Career-Ready College Education.” UTEP Partners in New National Effort to Help “DREAMers” Obtain Career-Ready College Education – UTEP News Archive, news.utep.edu/utep-partners-in-new-national-effort-to-help-dreamers-obtain-career-ready-college-education/.
My New issue brief topic will be in regards to the implementation of policy that provides a path to citizenship for undocumented citizens already living and working in the United States. I believe that this topic fits the criteria for exigence, and has fit the criteria for years. Border States like New Mexico and Texas are heavily populated with undocumented citizens, most of which living in fear while contributing to our nation. The rhetorical situation of this issue is at an all time high as the transition of power from the Trump administration to the Biden administration means there will be an influx of policy changes on the border yet again. An increased focus on the Mexican-American border is a terrible reality that undocumented immigrants must face, and it will make their lives harder until there is concrete policy change.
In my issue brief I will focus primarily on the integration of undocumented immigrants living and working in Southern Border states and cities. It is undoubtedly true that undocumented citizens live all across the United States, providing essential work and contributing to our country. Focusing primarily on the situation near the border will help me consolidate my argument and speak in regards to the situation that is the center of focus. I believe that Biden’s plan to provide an avenue towards citizenship for these people who are living and working underground can be achieved through inducement system changes, ultimately leading to the formation of capacity builders. The plan requires individuals seeking citizenship to complete a comprehensive background check and provide tax records. These requirements encourage positive contribution for those seeking citizenship. There are many policies in place in border cities like El Paso to protect undocumented citizens from the federal government. Systematic Changes in regards to deportation and detaination can make the federal government allies of these border cities, allowing them both to work in conjunction to fairly and efficiently deal with undocumented immigrants. There is hope that systematic changes that provide a path to citizenship for undocumented citizens will reverse the longstanding stigma that views undocumented immigrants as completely detrimental to the United States.
