Anthrolpology - Illegal Immigration and the Mexican people (research Essay

Anthrolpology - Illegal Immigration and the Mexican people (research paper) - Essay Example Many have, however, attempted to deny access to housing, schools, medical treatment and social programs to non-citizens. Some argue that U.S. laws apply to all within its borders, legally or not such as the Fifth Amendment right to due process of law. The laws certainly apply to all when they are broken. The federal government, to no one’s surprise, has been no help. For example, the Bush administration has long supported some form of amnesty which has enraged those that are opposed to illegal aliens living, working or going to school in the U.S. On the other hand, the administration also endorses the PATRIOT Act which denies constitutionally guaranteed rights to all people and further punishes immigrants in the effort to win the ‘war on terror.’ The ‘right’ answer escapes the government and many others as well because of the issue’s many complexities. This discussion will examine the immigration debate from a legal, economic and social view. It will present the administration’s answer to the problem along with an opposing opinion. It will also speak to laws germane to the debate including a brief review of the PATRIOT Act, the Fifth Amendment regarding due process and the Fourteenth Amendment which relates to automatic citizenship by birth. The fundamental reason for the flood of immigration from Latin America, specifically Mexico, is the disintegration of the Mexican economy predominantly resulting from free-trade strategies employed by the North American Free Trade Agreement and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The rampant corruption within the Mexican government has also contributed significantly to the collapse of the Mexican economy. â€Å"Due to IMF policies regarding Mexico, its economic output dropped 33 percent in the past two decades† (Small, 2005). During this period, its foreign debt rose 359