The United States immigration policy is in dire need of improvement and has been for quite some time. Unfortunately, the current system makes legal immigration a cumbersome and lengthy process, while those who enter the country unauthorized are often rewarded. As Americans, we can easily understand and sympathize with the struggles immigrants face, as they become our neighbors and contribute to our communities. However, we tend to overlook the plight of equally desperate individuals who choose to apply for legal admission and patiently wait their turn in their home countries. These individuals are often out of sight and therefore receive far less compassion.
According to a Gallup survey, there are approximately 900 million adults across the globe who desire to leave their homeland, with 160 million of them listing America as their desired destination. If each one of them were to bring just one child, our population could nearly double overnight. However, the majority of these individuals do not speak English fluently and may have limited education.
To understand the challenges of legal immigration, let me share my family’s personal experience. In the late 1940s, my parents registered on the admission quota list for Hungary at the American embassy in Budapest, a full two years before I was born. They were aware that it would take years for their number to be called, but as Jewish individuals who had survived the Holocaust, they wanted a contingency plan in case their circumstances turned dire again. Unfortunately, Hungary eventually became absorbed into the Soviet empire, and the freedom to leave the country was taken away. In 1956, during the short-lived Hungarian Revolution, my father discovered that he was deemed disloyal to the Communist Party. Faced with the risks of remaining in Hungary versus seeking freedom elsewhere, my parents made the difficult choice to leave.
To escape, we journeyed over frozen farmland under the cover of darkness, keeping watch for border guards who were notorious for their brutality. I was only eight years old at the time. Following our treacherous escape, my family resided in overcrowded refugee camps for almost a year. Finally, in November 1958, 12 years after my parents first applied, our number on the quota system was finally called. Within days of arriving in America, my father, who spoke multiple languages including English, secured a job as an electronics engineer. Years later, I questioned why my parents didn’t choose to enter the country illegally like so many others. My father’s response was simple, “Who knew you could get away with that? In Europe, if you entered a country illegally, you would promptly be put in jail and deported back to your homeland.”
Today, it seems that everyone knows it’s possible to immigrate to the United States without permission. The estimated number of undocumented immigrants already exceeds 11 million, with thousands more arriving each day. Reflecting on my family’s situation, if my parents had come to America when they first applied, they could have escaped the years of Stalinist tyranny and started working here much earlier. While finding employment may have been more challenging, they had a strong case for asylum due to their history of religious persecution and fear of political imprisonment under a Communist regime. Additionally, they would have qualified for amnesty a few years later, granting them additional time to save for a home and retirement. I would have been born in America, automatically acquiring citizenship.
The advantages of taking the illegal route to settle in the United States are clear. It is a much faster process, individuals can earn a higher income while their case is pending, and our government tends to grant forgiveness more readily than permission. As a former refugee, I possess a great deal of sympathy for those who seek the freedom and opportunity that America provides. However, our current immigration system, which favors those who enter illegally, lacks rationality. It is imperative that we adopt a more logical and organized approach.
Many countries, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, utilize a merit-based numerical system. This system takes into account job skills, language proficiency, education, and the length of time an individual has been on the waiting list. Implementing a similar system could be a positive step forward for the United States. By making legal immigration more accessible and reducing the years-long process, we can create a fairer system. Additionally, faster deportation of undocumented immigrants could act as a deterrent for unauthorized entry, encouraging individuals to follow the proper channels.
These changes would allow Americans to have a greater say in who gets to live among us. It is essential that we find a balance between compassion for those seeking a better life and ensuring the integrity and security of our immigration system. As a Beverly Hills author and an individual who has experienced the complexities of immigration firsthand, I write about this subject with both ambivalence and understanding. We must strive for a more rational and efficient approach to immigration in the United States.
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