The other day we examined Census data claiming that the foreign-born population fell in the U.S. last year mainly as a result of the recession. The recession is also being blamed for another immigration issue.In 2007, fees for citizenship and other immigration paperwork were dramatically boosted; the cost of applying for citizenship was $400 but is currently $675. Yet the new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) said yesterday that fees may soon have to be raised again due to "financial challenges". Alejandro Mayorkas blamed the economic slump and (ironically) the fee increase for a decrease in applicants and agency revenue. (Last week it was reported that earnings at the end of this fiscal year would fall $282 million short than agency predictions).
Mayorkas said possible cuts and fee increases were needed for improvements in service such as the creation of a new CIS website. Yet prospective applicants and immigrants rights groups believe that the planned changes will hurt services:
"This is already a lot of money and it's hard to gather it ... especially with this economy," (California resident Felix) Herrera said in Spanish. "But I also want to be part of voter decisions. I want to elect my governor, president and mayor"…Image- boston.com (Citizenship ceremony held one year ago at Boston’s Fenway Park)
Raising fees will likely turn even more people away, said Cesar Lara, executive director of the Salinas-based Citizenship Project, a nonprofit organization that has helped over 300 legal residents to become U.S. citizens.
"It's going to impact people in the community," Lara said of the fee increase. "Most working can't afford it. They don't have $700 as disposable income."
Online Sources- The Salinas Californian, Huffington Post, AP, The Latin Americanist
Is it a good idea to evict and expulse Youngsters ??
ReplyDeleteIs it a good idea not to educate Youth ??
Old Ageing and Dying Nations : The Decay of Great Nations of Europe and Asia - Too Old to Compete - Will Babies save America ??
Forbes Magazine
New Geographer
The Kid Issue
Shrinking populations bode poorly for world economies.
Joel Kotkin,
Joel Kotkin is a presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University. He is executive editor of newgeography.com and writes the weekly New Geographer column for Forbes. He is working on a study on upward mobility in global cities for the London-based Legatum Institute. His next book, The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050, will be published by Penguin early next year.
September 8, 2009
The Kid Issue
http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/07/japan-elections-birthrates-opinions-columnists-joel-kotkin.html
Some excerpts :
Many Japanese recognize that their birth dearth contributes to the country's long-standing economic torpor.
.......................
Japan's predicament seems obvious. Its fertility rate has dropped by a third since 1975. By 2015 a full quarter of the population will be over 65. Generally inhospitable to immigrants, Japan could see its population drop from a current 127 million to 95 million by 2050, with as much as 40% of the population over 65 years of age. By then, no matter how innovative the workforce, Dai Nippon will simply be too old to compete.
While Japan's demographic crisis is an extreme case, many countries throughout East Asia and Europe share a similar predicament. Even with its energy riches, Russia's low birth and high mortality rates suggest that its population will drop 30% by 2050 to less than one-third of that of the U.S. Even Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has spoken of "the serious threat of turning into a decaying nation."
Russia's de facto tsar has cause for concern. Throughout history low fertility and socioeconomic decline have been inextricably linked, creating a vicious cycle that affected once-vibrant civilizations such as as ancient Rome and 17th-century Venice.
America :
The reasons for this divergence with other advanced countries likely includes such things as continuing immigration, more land, larger houses, a strong aspirational culture and a higher degree of religious affiliation. Whatever the cause, a younger demography could lead to a relatively brighter future for America than is now commonly assumed.
Additionally, in the next decade the U.S. will benefit from a millennial baby boomlet, as the children of the original boomers start having offspring. This next surge in population may be delayed if tough economic times continue, but over time it will translate into a growing workforce, sustained consumer spending and will likely spur a rash of new creative inputs.
On the surface, these trends should help America to maintain a growing economy while its main competitors fade. By 2050 Europe's economy could be half that of the U.S. But this is not inevitable. As in Japan, some leaders in European countries understand they cannot sustain prosperity with a steadily declining workforce.
More Statistics, Demography, Polls, Immigration, Minorities, Predictions :
Milenials.com
Vicente Duque