Illegal Immigration Reform & Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA)
The IIRIRA Act was enacted on September 30, 1996. The act was meant to increase border enforcement and harder immigration rules. There are many controversial aspects of the Act like an immigrant who is detained and is going to be deported back to their native country may have to wait years in jail before they are deported or released. Another controversial part of the Act was that if an undocumented immigrant is caught on a minor offense such as shoplifting they can be deported. The government is also allowed to use "Secret evidence" against immigrants in deportation cases that may force them back to their country. The country also put a lot of money towards the US-Mexico border to keep immigrants out. This political cartoon shows how afraid the Americans are of immigrants coming into America and how unfair immigration laws are.
September 11, 2001
On September 11, 2001 hijackers from the terrorist group al-Qaeda flew two Boeing 767's into the North and South tower of the World Trade Center early Tuesday morning. One other plane flew into the pentagon and another was crash landed on a field in Pennsylvania by the passengers on board. 3,000 people died at the World Trade Center, 189 people died at the pentagon, and 45 people died on the crashed plane in a field. The people who carried out the 9/11 attacks were all extremist who were given instruction under al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. This event has shaped the views of Muslim and Islamic people in America and in the Middle-East as terrorist. In the eye of the average American citizen anyone who is Muslim, Islamic, wears a hijab, or is from the Middle-East is a terrorist and was responsible for 9/11. Since the time after 9/11 it has been extremely hard for the Islamic people to live normal lives in America; they constantly face harassment, threats, and violence from other American citizens. This photograph, taken on 9/11, shows the smoke arising from one of the towers as the plane collides with the World Trade Center.
USA Patriot Act
The Uniting & Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (Patriot Act) was signed by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. The act increased security at the borders and was meant to find and stop terrorist. Although it is a very useful act to stop terrorism it can be extremely controversial because law enforcement can pull aside anyone suspected of terrorism and detain them. Innocent people that are Islamic or Muslim can be detained and questioned just for "looking" like a terrorist.
Arizona Senate Bill 1070
A little boy protest the harsh SB 1070.
Arizona Senate Bill 1070 (SB 1070) was signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on April 23, 2010. The SB states that all aliens over the age of 14 have to carry documents with them wherever they go or be charge with a federal misdemeanor. The SB has some shady points like the fact that anyone under suspicion of being an illegal immigrant can be stooped and taken in for questioning to see if they are a legal immigrant of if they're an illegal immigrant. This is the most controversial part of the bill and it has been accused of racial profiling. If you are stopped on you and you don't have all of the necessary papers and documents with you than you can be fined $100 and face up to 20 days in jail, the fine and jail time increases each time. The Bill is practically calling out anyone who appears to be an immigrant or of Latino decent.
California DREAM Act
A woman protest for the DREAM Act.
Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act was signed into law by California Governor Jerry Brown on October 8, 2011. The Acts purpose was to give illegal immigrants the chance to stay in America with good behavior. The state gives illegal immigrants temporary residence if they attain a GED or a High School Diploma. Then within that time if they continue good behavior, go to college or enroll in the US Army then they can obtain permanent residence and erase their illegal status. Other states have their own adaptions of the Dream Act and it might become a law if it passes through the house, senate, and if President Obama signs it.
US-Mexico Border
A picture of the US-Mexico Border in the desert.
The US-Mexico border is 1-969 miles with a vast majority of the border being covered in high fences and vehicle barriers. The border is continuously being constructed and armed with new border patrol agents. There are over 20,000 border patrol agents on the American side to guard the border. The border patrol can be extremely violent and and can kill illegal immigrants before they even reach the border. The border has drawn attention on how much America spends to build the border and employ border patrol agents.
Latino Voters
There are 23.7 million registered Latino voters in America, and they vote heavily democrat. Latino voters are shaping the future in America. 61% of voters are for democrat while only 10% are for the republicans. They voted 3:1 for Obama over Romney in the 2012 election. Latinos are changing the face of the republican party. Republicans are now trying to reach out to Latino voters to earn their vote in upcoming elections. Latino voters are the reason that Obama has won the past two Presidential Elections. With the republicans desperate for voters they are reaching out to Latinos and trying to get their vote. This woman shows the amount of support Obama had from the Latinos in America.