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LEGAL BORDER CROSSING refers to entering a country through an official port of entry and following all the required procedures set by that country's border authorities. Here's a breakdown of the key points: Port of Entry: This is a designated location, like an airport, land border checkpoint, or seaport, authorized by the government to process travelers entering or exiting the country. Required Procedures: These typically involve showing valid travel documents (passport, visa if needed), declaring any goods you're bringing, and undergoing inspections by border officials. Essentially, a legal border crossing is the authorized and documented way to enter a new country.

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The impact of illegal border crossings and the uncontrolled presence of undocumented individuals is profound and multifaceted, posing significant challenges that starkly contrast with the invaluable contributions of legal immigrants and immigrant communities to our economy, society, and public safety. While lawful immigration has been a driving force behind national prosperity, fueling innovation, cultural enrichment, and economic advancement, the mass influx of individuals without vetting or legal status presents critical issues. These issues include compromising public safety, contributing to violent crime and terrorism, overwhelming public resources, complicating law enforcement efforts, and undermining social cohesion, all while placing an undue economic and fiscal burden on U.S. taxpayers. It is imperative to distinguish between the constructive role of legal immigration and the disruptive effects of illegal entry by undocumented individuals, as well as those who enter legally but overstay their visas. This understanding is crucial for developing effective policies that safeguard national interests while upholding the principles of justice and fairness.

We propose a comprehensive reform of the asylum and refugee process to ensure fair treatment for those seeking refuge, while streamlining the review process to prioritize American public safety and national security. This reform also seeks to facilitate increased legal immigration for individuals who demonstrate alignment with the core values, social norms, and founding principles of the United States.

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Recognizing that not all asylum seekers may share American values due to cultural, historical, or religious differences, our proposal offers a compassionate solution: the opportunity for these individuals to seek refuge or immigrate to countries whose values and cultural frameworks are better aligned with their preferences. By supporting this alternative pathway, we aim to improve outcomes for asylum seekers while ensuring a smoother social integration process for those who choose the U.S. as their new home.

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Ultimately, successful social integration benefits not only refugees and immigrants but also the host country, fostering stronger communities built on shared values and mutual understanding.

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WHAT DO THEY MEAN

Illegal Immigrant / Undocumented Person / Illegal Alien / Refugee / Asylum Seeker / Immigrant / Migrant / Emigrant

IMMIGRATION

BORDER CONTROL & SECURITY

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IMMIGRANT refers to a person who moved to a new country to reside there permanently. IMMIGRATION is the process of coming to live in a new place, typically to improve your life in some way. People immigrate for various reasons, including: Economic opportunities: Seeking better jobs and higher living standards. Family reunification: Joining family members who already live there. Education: Pursuing educational opportunities. The process of immigrating involves going through legal channels set up by the destination country. This may include applying for visas, and permits, and meeting specific requirements. Immigration has played a major role in shaping societies around the world. Many countries, especially the United States, are built on immigration and the cultural diversity it brings. EMIGRATION is the opposite of immigration. It refers to leaving one's own country to live in another country permanently. Here's a breakdown of the key differences: Immigration: Moving into a new country to reside there permanently. Emigration: Leaving your home country. People emigrate for many reasons, escaping conflict or persecution and seeking asylum in a nearby country, then potentially immigrating to a country with which they would culturally, socially, and religiously identify. __________________________

LEGAL BORDER CROSSING refers to entering a country through an official port of entry and following all the required procedures set by that country's border authorities. Here's a breakdown of the key points: Port of Entry: This is a designated location, like an airport, land border checkpoint, or seaport, authorized by the government to process travelers entering or exiting the country. Required Procedures: These typically involve showing valid travel documents (passport, visa if needed), declaring any goods you're bringing, and undergoing inspections by border officials. Essentially, a legal border crossing is an authorized and documented way to enter a new country. Asylum seekers would use legal border crossing, and request asylum at the point of entry. Asylum status is not determined by border control but is assessed by USCIS and in case of an appeal, by EOIR Judge. _________________________

MIGRANT is a term used to describe someone who moves from their usual place of residence, either within a country or temporarily across international borders. For example, the migration from East to West during the gold rush period in the United States. Focusing on movement: Migrants can move temporarily (for work) or permanently within their country (to establish a new life). A cross-border "migrant" is referred to as a person with temporary work status. A person seeking permanence in a different country is referred to as an immigrant (entering) or emigrant (leaving) a country. __________________________

ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSING is entering a country by evading the official channels or checkpoints. This means circumventing border control safety and security inspections and bypassing immigration and entry authorization processes. __________________________

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT vs ILLEGAL ALIEN. Illegal Immigrant is an oxymoron because "immigrant" implies legal status, involving going through official channels to reside permanently in a country. In contrast, "Illegal Alien" is a term used to describe a foreign national residing in a country without legal authorization, typically due to overstaying a visa or entry permit. Act vs. Status: Illegal border crossing is the act of intentionally evading border control safety and security checks, while illegal immigration is the status of someone who overstays their authorized stay. Unlike illegal immigrants, illegal border crossers present a different danger to safety and national security than those who have been vetted and entered with permission into the country. Penalties for evading border control checkpoints are also different than overstaying tourist, student, or work visas.

ACT VS STATUS: Illegal border crossing is the act of intentionally evading border control safety and security checks, while illegal immigration is the status of someone who overstays their authorized stay. Unlike Illegal Immigrants, Illegal border crossers present a different danger to safety and national security than those who have been vetted and entered with permission into the country. Penalties for evading border control checkpoints are also different than overstaying a tourist, student, or work visa. __________________________

ASYLUM SEEKER VS REFUGEE. An asylum seeker is someone who has fled their home country and is seeking protection from persecution or serious harm in another country. Generally, asylum seekers seek protection and apply for asylum in a neighboring country. Asylum can be requested at the border when legally entering the country or if the asylum seeker has already legally entered a country under a visa; if their country's situation has changed, it can be applied for during their stay. Note that asylum may be granted even though the asylum seeker wishes to immigrate as a refugee to a different country than the one they sought asylum in for immediate protection. It is up to the asylum seekers where they would like to permanently reside as refugees and potentially as immigrants to settle in a particular country permanently. These decisions are influenced by social, cultural, and religious identification and association. For example, a homosexual asylum seeker may not want to immigrate to a country where homosexuality is considered illegal and is violently punished. Fleeing harm: Asylum seekers escape situations like war, violence, or oppression in their home country. Seeking protection: They enter another country and request asylum, which is international protection. Awaiting decision: The authorities review Their application to determine if they qualify for refugee status. It's important to distinguish between asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants. Asylum seeker: Someone who has legally crossed the border or at the border applied for asylum but has not yet had their claim decided. Refugee: Someone whose asylum claim has been approved and legally recognized as needing protection. Immigrant: (In the asylum process) Someone whose refugee status changes to a defined immigrant status (may not be in the country they sought asylum in). __________________________

BORDER CONTROL and BORDER CHECK POINTS are intertwined concepts. Border control refers to the procedures that a government implements to regulate traffic across its borders. This includes the movement of people, goods, and animals. Border checkpoints are the physical locations where these controls are enforced. Types of Border Checkpoints There are two main types of border checkpoints: Ports of Entry and Interior Checkpoints. Ports of entry: These are designated locations where people and goods can enter a country legally. Ports of entry can be located at land borders, airports, and seaports. Ports of entry border checkpoints Interior checkpoints: These are checkpoints located away from the physical border, but still within a reasonable distance. They deter illegal activity that may have bypassed official border crossings. For example, interior checkpoints in the United States can be found within 100 miles of the Canadian or Mexican borders. Interior checkpoints border checkpoint The Role of Border Checkpoints Border checkpoints play an important role in national security, immigration control, and customs enforcement. Here are some of the specific functions of border checkpoints: Verifying the identity and citizenship of travelers Screening travelers for immigration violations Inspecting goods for contraband, such as illegal drugs or weapons Collecting customs duties and taxes on imported goods Preventing the spread of diseases The Legality of Border Checkpoints The legality of border checkpoints has been challenged in some countries. Critics argue that interior checkpoints violate the civil liberties of citizens and residents. In most countries, citizens and residents living close to the border understand and accept interior border checkpoints. In the United States, for example, where the borders are vast and difficult to control to ensure maximum safety and national security, the Supreme Court has ruled that Border Patrol agents can stop vehicles at checkpoints for brief questioning, even if there is no reason to suspect that the occupants are engaged in illegal activity. _________________________

UNDOCUMENTED PERSON or UNDOCUMENTED ALIEN is a foreign-born person who resides in a country illegally (without the legal permission to be there). There is only one reason why someone does not have legal documents proving their border crossing (I-90) or proving their work/stay status: they have purposefully evaded border control when entering the country legally. An undocumented immigrant, though the term sounds softer, poses a higher risk to safety and national security than an illegal immigrant who entered the country legally, went through the security vetting process, and overstayed their permitted stay. __________________________

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