Select Commission suggests changes in immigration policy--a review essay

US immigration is at an all-time high exceeding 800000 in 1980. The US Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy was created in 1978. It conducted consultations read studies held public hearings and interviewed witnesses on this topic and in March 1981 a report was published with 67 recommendations designed to reassert control over immigration. The Commission believes that more legal immigrants could be admitted if illegal immigration was stopped. The report recommends more enforcement amnesty for illegal aliens now in the US a 67% increase in quotas of immigrants for 5 years and no upper limit on total immigration. Employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens should be fined. The Commission also recommends that the system of nation and preference quotas be retained but that the worldwide quotas be raised to 350000 in order to advance US interests without harming US workers. 1 group of immigrants would continue the tradition of family reunification and the 2nd would be independent migrants. The refugee policy changed by the Refugee Act of 1980 allowing in people from countries other than communist countries has a quota of 217000 in 1981 and 173000 in 1982. It was suggested that state and local governments help plan for refugee resettlement and that federal impact aid be considered for communities with concentrations of refugees. Regarding illegal immigration studies found that: 1) young single males are most likely to attempt to cross borders illegally 2) almost all illegals are attracted to US jobs 3) most illegals earn at least minimum wage and 4) there is no meaningful average length of stay in the US. Arguments for and against guest workers were considered as well as border enforcement employer sanctions and identification cards. If these recommendations were adopted and net illegal immigration reduced to 100000 annually the population would still increase from 227 million to 281 million in 2025; by 2030 over 12% of the US population would be immigrants or descended from immigrants who came after 1980. If legal migration is not enforced the population would be 306 million by 2035 with post-1980 immigrants and their families making up 20% of the population.