A Look at the Federation For American Immigration Reform

By Johanna Sweeten

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a non-profit organization that is focused on changing the immigration policies in this country. It was founded in 1979, and since then has become one of the more well-known “faces” in the debate on an issue that has people on both sides expressing some very strong opinions.

Immigration has an effect on almost every aspect of our daily lives. Education, employment, government budgets, health care, and even the environment are all affected by our immigration laws and policies. As more and more people continue to move into the country, whether legally or illegally, all these elements have to change to try and keep up.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform has stated that their goals, in relation to those aspects, is to improve border security, stop illegal immigration, and promote the levels of immigration that are more beneficial to the country. They say, on their website, that a rate of about 300,000 a year, rather than the current million a year, would be the ideal level.

FAIR’s recommendation to start changing policy is a complete moratorium on all immigration except for the spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens and a limited number of refugees. They believe that this would allow us to hold a national debate on the issue so a comprehensive reform strategy could be developed. If you are opposed to these reforms, however, you may be asking why such a moratorium is necessary. After all, the debate will continue whether it is in effect or not.

There are, of course, a lot of arguments for and against any type of immigration reform, and everyone seems to have their own opinion on what would work best for the country. The Federation for American Immigration Reform has stated that they believe there is a way to end illegal immigration through humane methods that are consistent with our current democratic ideals and laws.

They believe that there is a way to develop a policy that is non-discriminatory and serves the social, economic and environmental needs of the country. They claim that by enforcing the laws that are already in place and implementing a lot of the new technology that we have available to us we’ll be able to eliminate a lot of the illegal immigration and the problems that are closely associated with it.

The immigration issue seems to separate opinion like a giant wedge. Organizations like the Federation for American Immigration Reform call for all-encompassing, sweeping reforms like a total moratorium, while people on the other side of the spectrum accuse them of discriminatory or anti-immigration practices.

With so much information and so many different opinions flying around on the issue, it can be hard to know where to stand. FAIR, at least, has been consistent about collecting information and other resources and publishing their opinions for anyone to study. Clearly, the Federation for American Immigration Reform has its own agenda, but understanding both sides of an argument has to start somewhere.

Johanna is a columnist who focuses on high-profile national political issues. She has been following the Federation for American Immigration Reform for the purpose of this article, and she recommends that if you would like to learn more about the Federation for American Immigration Reform you can visit their website at FairUs.

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