| http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; | | | | only applies to thirty three percent of the illegal |
| charset=utf-8"> | | | | immigrant population if one bases their assumptions on |
| Introduction | | | | the above assertions. (Shapiro, 2006) |
| The United States is one of the countries with the | | | | It should also be noted that the free ride problem is not |
| highest number of immigrants in the world. This statistic | | | | as severe as some natives make it sound. Even if |
| also implies that the number of illegal immigrants may | | | | illegal immigrants came to the US to take advantage |
| be just as high. Many people enter the country for a | | | | of free services, there are very few options available |
| series of reasons. Some come to seek asylum from | | | | to them currently. The following public services cannot |
| political, cultural or religious persecution, some come to | | | | be accessed by illegal immigrants thanks to the |
| pursue higher education, and others are refugees while | | | | Welfare Reform Bill of 1996; |
| a large percentage of the immigrants come to the US | | | | · Medicaid |
| to look for better economic opportunities. All the latter | | | | · Medicare |
| categories of immigrants are acknowledged by the | | | | · Food stamps |
| government and there are due procedures in the US | | | | · Funded hospitalization |
| constitution for allowing such persons into the | | | | · Housing assistance (Beck, 2001) |
| country.(Beck, 2001) However, there is another reason | | | | All these services are only acceptable to |
| has may have increased the number of immigrants | | | | constitutionally recognized immigrants. In fact education |
| into the country; this is the free rider issue. Certain | | | | services limited to K-12 levels and emergency medical |
| individuals may be interested in settling within the US | | | | care are the only viable options to them. Consequently, |
| just so that they could benefit from the health and | | | | potential immigrants have nothing to look forward to |
| social facilities in the country. The essay shall look at | | | | when coming into the US with the hope of getting free |
| the reality of free riders and how this is linked to illegal | | | | rides. In the end, very few individuals are actually |
| immigration. | | | | motivated by these free services because they are |
| The relationship between free riders and illegal | | | | only granted to the country’s citizens and not to |
| immigration | | | | them. |
| Some individuals argue that illegal immigration is | | | | It should also be noted that it is a criminal act to offer |
| becoming a very serious problem in the US. Some of | | | | any form of assistance to illegal immigrants even if an |
| them attribute this to the open border policies that the | | | | institution or organization was a charitable one. For |
| US has adopted. Others claim that the real reason | | | | instance, Social workers, priests or other charity |
| why illegal immigrants enter the US is so that they | | | | programs could face five years imprisonment if found |
| could use up the country’s resources and then | | | | guilty of giving support (monetary, food, shelter or |
| leave it for dead.(Beck, 2001) | | | | otherwise) to an illegal immigrant. Consequently, very |
| These proponents assert that these immigrants have | | | | few organizations are willing to help them out. Illegal |
| no intention of ever becoming US citizens or upholding | | | | immigrants actually get very few free’ things |
| the law. Instead, they enter the country to access | | | | from the state and it is therefore a misunderstanding |
| easily available employment opportunities. Usually, | | | | to think that the major reason causing immigrants to |
| these people come into the country so that they can | | | | enter the country are so that they can consume these |
| offer cheap labor for those respective industries or | | | | free things. |
| people that need them. In fact, a number of immigrants | | | | It should also be noted that Congressmen are fond of |
| enter the country in order to pack industry products or | | | | passing laws that restrict illegal immigrants from getting |
| do such duties. (Shapiro, 2006) | | | | any form of access to public services. This is |
| These proponents also believe that all the latter | | | | especially the case in health care. For instance, |
| micro-economic arguments do not hold much water. | | | | whenever immigrants are interested in getting Medic |
| According to them there is a need to revise the | | | | Aid, they are supposed to show proof that they are |
| country’s immigration laws because of the fact | | | | citizens. Congressmen assert that this is necessary |
| that citizenship is worth very little to these people. Most | | | | just so that there are no benefits granted to aliens. |
| of them may be merely interested in getting whatever | | | | (Shapiro, 2006) |
| little they can and then send it back to their own | | | | It should also be noted that almost all efforts made by |
| countries. Since such individuals are not well | | | | the US government to curb illegal immigrants who |
| documented, then they are usually not obliged to | | | | enter the country for free rides have been very |
| respect the constitution as much as other groups do. | | | | effective. Ever since the 1996, when the US passed |
| (Shapiro, 2006) | | | | stern laws to deal with the immigration problem, the |
| Proponents of this argument also claim that many | | | | number of illegal immigrants entering the country has |
| illegal immigrants do not play by the rules. Since they | | | | drastically reduced. However, another shocking |
| are not US citizens, then they are not required to | | | | revelation is that the US government began issuing out |
| contribute directly to the country. Additionally, most of | | | | social security numbers to these illegal immigrants just |
| them may not offer their services for the betterment | | | | so that they could be able to pay taxes. Contrary to |
| of the US. | | | | what people believe, illegal immigrants are not getting |
| This school of thought also puts forward the fact that | | | | free services or benefiting from the country’s |
| many illegal immigrants are actually flooding the country | | | | system without paying for these things. Instead, those |
| and causing situations in which locals are running out of | | | | illegal immigrants are actually paying for what they do |
| work. The following industries heavily rely on illegal | | | | not receive. |
| immigration | | | | One might think that some illegal immigrants may want |
| · The restaurant industry | | | | to escape these legal channels and avoid getting social |
| · Housekeeping | | | | security numbers. However, statistics ever since that |
| · Construction | | | | time show that close to seventy five percent of all |
| · Truck driving | | | | illegal immigrants have social security numbers and |
| · etc | | | | they actually use their meager pay to meet the |
| These proponents argue that illegal immigrants who | | | | IRS’s tax demands. Usually, these illegal |
| are coming in for a free ride (through the social | | | | immigrants keep doing this with the hope of gaining US |
| amenities in the country) are actually harming locals | | | | citizenship at some point in their lives. Consequently, |
| who may be required to pay their dues while at the | | | | one cannot assume that all illegal immigrants are just |
| same time compete with some of these illegal | | | | interested in free rides. |
| immigrants. Proponents of these ideas cite a series of | | | | Statistics also show that the overall contributions made |
| statistics to support their claim. | | | | by illegal immigrants to the taxation system in the |
| For instance, in the New York Times, it was stated | | | | country are also much higher than the amount they |
| that illegal immigrants who enter the country for a free | | | | consume from the public. For instance, in 2007, it was |
| ride are actually ruining the opportunities for other | | | | found that sales tax paid by illegal immigrants cause an |
| types of workers especially those ones who may not | | | | excess of eighty thousand dollars more than they use |
| be illegal. It has been shown that most janitors in Los | | | | up. |
| Angeles get close to nine dollars per hours; in other | | | | It is indeed an acknowledged fact that there may be a |
| parts of the country, it could be slightly higher but not | | | | lot of strain created in border communities due to illegal |
| so far from this figure. What has happened is that | | | | immigrants. However, the problems brought about in |
| some of these illegal immigrants have ended up | | | | those areas are not necessarily as a result of the free |
| dominating the profession. | | | | ride issue. Instead, the problem is with the way the |
| Most employers these days prefer using such illegal | | | | government deals with them. There is no guest |
| immigrants because they are sure that they will save | | | | program for illegal immigrants at the border areas. If |
| up on substantial wage costs. However, the overall | | | | the government was to create such an opportunity for |
| effect of this rush towards illegal immigrants is that the | | | | these illegal immigrants, then there would be minimal |
| legal ones are forced to look for other alternatives in | | | | strain there. (Shapiro, 2006) |
| other areas of employment. The falling wages and | | | | Most politicians utilize the issue of illegal immigration to |
| unfair employee practices have caused them to look | | | | spread unnecessary fear among members of the |
| for substitutes elsewhere. (Shapiro, 2006) | | | | population. Contrary to most assertions that illegal |
| Other reports also claim that free riders who enter the | | | | immigrants enter the country to milk its resources, the |
| country to enjoy the readily available employment | | | | truth of the matter is that these immigrants are actually |
| opportunities are actually causing problems in other | | | | contributing towards the country’s overall |
| industries such as in meat processing. This sudden | | | | development. Most of the free ride fears are actually |
| wave of free riders is creating room for worker | | | | not based on statistics and facts in the recent years. |
| exploitation by employers and it is also driving many | | | | Conclusion |
| other legal workers out of employment. | | | | The problem of free riders in the country can be |
| The real link between free riders and the economy | | | | examined through two perspectives. The first is that |
| Some people believe that immigrants should not have | | | | free riding contributes to the illegal immigrant problem |
| access to public services because some of them | | | | and the challenges that are associated with the latter. |
| enter the country just so that they can benefit from | | | | However, this argument is misplaced because the |
| these services. However, it may come as a surprise | | | | major problem lies with the unscrupulous employers |
| to many critics that close to sixty seven percent of all | | | | who opt to break the law by employing illegal |
| illegal immigrants actually pay taxes. In fact most illegal | | | | immigrants. |
| immigrants have to contribute to social services, | | | | The other side of the argument is that laws and |
| Medicare and even personal income taxes. Since | | | | regulations in the country actually discourage free |
| these people are contributing to the country’s | | | | riders. Most illegal immigrants are not entitled to basic |
| revenue, then it would be gross abuse of human rights | | | | public services within the country. Consequently, it is |
| if those same individuals were prevented from getting | | | | not plausible to say that free riders are actually causing |
| access to public services. This reality is in sharp | | | | the problems associated with illegal immigration as we |
| contrast to what some conservative congressmen | | | | know it today. Instead, the problem is a result of the |
| would like the public to believe. Most of these leaders | | | | poor employment practices existent in the country; |
| assert that illegal immigration is an avenue against | | | | Illegal immigrants still play a part in the country’ |
| which the US looses most of its resources and gets | | | | economic growth. |
| nothing in return. In other words, these politicians assert | | | | Reference |
| that the illegal immigrants only come to consume | | | | Shapiro, R. (2006): Illegal aliens and worker abuse, The |
| services in the US and do not pay for them. This | | | | New York Times, 19th June |
| echoes the free ride sentiments held in earlier portions | | | | Beck, R. |
| of the essay. Clearly, the free ride concept in this case | | | | |