I was scouring the internet today trying to find a brand spanking new news story to post on the blog, when I ran across a piece on an older, but still developing story. Most of you probably know that the United States is contemplating building a large wall that moves along the border of the United States and Mexico. Presumably, the point of this wall is to keep "illegal aliens" from entering the country.
Much debate has occured over the past few decades about the affects that these "illegals" have on our economy and federal programs. As I was reading this story, it occured to me that the issue of those who are in this country illegally is quite relevant to us as social workers. As social workers, we are mandatory reporters of children and elders in abusive situations. However, I do not believe that we are required to report someone who is in this country illegally.
Should we be?
What do you think our responsibility should be with the issue of "illegal alients"?
Read this story from National Geographic on the issue to further inform your opinion.
6 comments:
I don't think social workers should have to report illegal aliens. It is a social worker's duty to serve humanity, and they are human after all. Being an illegal alien does not provoke physical harm, unlike elder and child abuse, so I don't see an immediate need to report illegals. Also, I think the walls should come tumbling down. I don't think its fair that property owners along the fence line have to succeed some of their land to Mexico because the government decided to put up a fence. I also don't like how the fence interferes with the habitats of indigenous wildlife. From what I understand, fences haven't proven to be that effective in keeping people out anyway.
Carrie W.
I do not feel that social workers should be put in the position of having to police "illegal aliens." Should social workers be required to make such reports, it might possibly prevent the "aliens" from asking for much needed help. Social workers job is to assist families to become independent of the system.
Malinda S.
I do not feel that social workers should be put in the position of having to police "illegal aliens." Should social workers be required to make such reports, it might possibly prevent the "aliens" from asking for much needed help. Social workers job is to assist families to become independent of the system.
Malinda S.
No responsibility to social workers at all. Social Workers already have plenty to deal with and then to add responsibility of "illegal aliens" to the load we as social workers would be overworked and underpaid.
I don't think social workers should have to report illegal aliens. According to the NASW codes of ethics, it is the social workers duty to make sure social justice, dignity and worth, and service is rendered to all people. The government should not decide whether or not a fence should seprate one human from another according his or he socioeconoimic status.
I resent the flailing of any country to preserve it's autonomy as an economic entity at the expense of demeaning the worth of people withing it's geographic borders. These people come here, but because there is some imaginary line that denotes "them" from "us," the people who drew that line withhold the privileges that being part of "us" denotes. I don't understand the big deal of acquiring citizenship. More people in this country buying things and producing goods can only help our economy, and, were these people allowed to pay taxes, it would certainly help the government.
I think that reporting illegal aliens would conflict with a social worker's responsibility to protect the dignity of persons, as well as our duty to preserve social justice. We should be responsible for illegal immigrants to the greatest degree that we can as social workers.
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