Immigration reform policies were widely considered throughout most of the Bush Administration.  Since President Obama’s administration took charge, immigration issues have largely been downplayed while other issues such as healthcare and financial reform policies have taken center stage.

While these issues remain important, immigration reform policies must be given high preference.  Both national security and economic reform policies involve illegal immigrants to some extent.

  As a result, discussions on readdressing illegal immigrant policies should occur simultaneously with these other issues-especially since some healthcare reforms will allow illegal aliens to obtain taxpayer-provided health insurance.

Due to a failure of the recent Congress to adequately address immigration reform, Arizona has taken matters into their own hands.  The resulting product is its own comprehensive immigration reform system.

Its primary components are threefold.  According to the New York Times, police officers are charged with detaining people that they suspect to be in the country without authorization.

In addition, failure to carry immigration papers will now be considered a state crime, a misdemeanor.

Citizens may sue the local or federal government if they believe the law is not being properly enforced.

In response, President Obama criticized Arizona’s immigration reform bill.  Although it appears that he supports reform of the system, he called Arizona’s reform “misguided,” according to CNN.

President Obama, along with other critics, claims that the bill will cause deeper discrimination and racial profiling and stereotyping.  This is where the immigration reform becomes quite controversial.

Two primary reasons ensure the appropriate execution of the reform.  First and foremost, critics must have confidence in the American citizen.  The vast majority of American citizens do not want illegal immigrants racialized or stereotyped (please accept this point for what it is-for the sake of an argument, racialized migration flows must be presumptuous). 

It has already been apparent that President Obama rejects the power and capabilities of private citizens to act appropriately.  That is why he has and still continues to use government as a guiding figurehead.

Rather, American citizens are concerned with security, in both national and economic outlets.  National security remains the most important aspect of immigration reform since terrorists can easily transient US borders quite easily.  

Specifically in Arizona security should be a top priority.  Human trafficking and smuggling has drastically increased over the past few years.  Currently Phoenix has the second highest kidnapping rate in the world, second to only Mexico City.

Economic concerns are prevalent as well.  Due to the severe economic recession, employment and available job levels has remained low.  Due to slow and fragile recovery conditions, government officials must ensure that any available job is given to US citizens or legal residents.

The second reason is that reform is necessary and there are vital contributors who will ensure its integrity.  According to the Washington Post’s Richard Cohen, Arizona immigration reform has sparked another Tea Party movement.

Despite its misconceptions in the media, the Tea Party movements have found a broad, common interest-immigration reform.  When certain policies are enacted, these movements ensure that they are carried out in an effective and just manner.  Despite their negative reputation formed by Democratic leadership, the Tea Party movement is one of the most grassroots movements in the country at the moment.

Regardless of the future immigration policies, both parties face an uphill battle with the public.  The Republicans and Democrats have been charged with being too harsh and not harsh enough, respectively, on immigration reform.  Despite their predominately opposing positions, both parties will need to confront this issue without hesitation in the coming years.

Without a doubt Arizona’s immigration reform is the most active policy implemented.  Instead of criticizing it, let’s give it a try and see how it functions.  It will be better than our current policies.