Introduction
This paper examines the stressed relationship between the United States national security, foreign policy, and immigration under the Trump administration. This report assumes that the interests of the United States is in its national security and the purpose of the country's foreign policy is to promote the United States national security. On the implications of the U.S foreign policy, the paper utilizes the information provided by Alexander Lukin in his article The US-China Trade War and China's Strategic Future. On immigration, the paper uses the article The Iceberg: Immigration Policies under Trump by Gabriela Lastres. This paper employs the use of the realism theory in describing the cold war between the United States and China and new economic theory in determining the reasons why people migrate from their countries of origin.
Immigration Policies Under the Trump Administration
For decades, immigration has been the cornerstone of the United States political debate as policymakers weigh the economic, humanitarian, and security concerns. Since 1968, immigrant populations have been admitted to the United States based on international and U.S. laws, which state that individuals who hold the fear of returning to their county must be allowed to present their asylum case (Lastres, 2020). However, the Trump administration has adopted unfair and inhumane immigration policies that prevent asylum seekers from entering the United States and seeking asylum. Instead, the Trump administration immigration policies require asylum seekers to remain dangerous refugee camps where violence, rape, and kidnappings are rife and without any form of legal representation. After the 2016 presidential elections, the Trump administration moved to enact hard-line executive orders that have affected the country's immigration policies (Lastres, 2020).
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The first executive order emphasized border security, which instructed federal agencies in the United States to build a physical wall that would help attain operational control of the U.S. border with Mexico (Lastres, 2020). The executive order also discontinued the "catch and release" practices that allowed immigrants caught at the border to be allowed into the U.S. while awaiting their court hearings. The second executive order was centered on the prevention of terrorism, which suspended migration from Muslim countries such as Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Iraq. Migrants from Syria were suspended indefinitely (Lastres, 2020). Other executive orders involved the phasing out of the Differed Action for Childhood Arrivals policies, which allows DHS to detain children indefinitely and interior enforcement that prioritizes the identification and deportation of undocumented people. In addition, the Trump administration continues to assert that immigrants are the greatest threat to national security and the prosperity of America (Lastres, 2020).
Recommendations
The immigration policies in the United States have failed to embody the characteristics of a humane, fair, and well-function system that rationally manages migration and upholds the rule of law. For more than 30 years, the United States has relied on immigrants to fill human capital shortages but failed to create sound legal pathways that enabled immigrants to move into the country and stay. This means that immigration policies enacted by policymakers have been unable to reflect on the realistic needs of American families, American businesses, and American society. The United States lacks evidence-based and practical information on immigration that could help policymakers adopt a plan that is sufficiently flexible and robust to meet the needs of the economy and the country. Therefore, Congress should institute a permanent and independent task force on immigration, labor markets, and economic competitiveness that would provide recommendations to the country's immigration policies based on real data and analysis. This will enhance the creation of an immigration system that upholds the rule of law by effectively channelling the required resources that will be used to maintain the integrity and the sovereignty of U.S. borders. Data-driven policies will also be used to enhance national security and public safety.
The United States Foreign Policy and Trade Wars with China
Managing the rise of China is one of the most critical challenges facing the United States today. The Trump administration, policymakers, and security strategists have regarded China as the most severe threat to the economic and national security threat to the United States (Lukin, 2019). The rise of China is seen as a threat to the sovereignty of the United States as the primary provider of maintaining order in the international realm since the Second World War. The United States perceives China as a potential threat to its national security because:
of the geostrategic influence and the countries growing national capabilities,
the unprecedented expansion and influence of China over the international community, and
the historical and cultural factors that could promote Sino-U.S. tensions over the long term (Lukin, 2019).
China's massive population and geographic positioning bordering Northeast Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Russia makes it a major geostrategic partner that could critically affect the regional and global interest of the United States across the Eurasian regions (Lukin, 2019). In less than two decades, Chinas gross domestic product has more than tripled, which has led economic analysts to believe that the country's GDP could surpass that of the United States in 15 years (Lukin, 2019). The exceptional growth of China is driven by the country's expanding economic and technological ties with world economies such as Japan, Russia, Taiwan, and South Korea. China is continuously seeking influence beyond its borders, which pose various implications to the global, political, and economic impact of the United States (Lukin, 2019).
Recommendations
The impacts of the United States and China trade relations have been felt in boardrooms, financial markets, and even central banks across world economies. It is vital to understand that economic giants such as China and the United States do not have to sign trade deals unless they want to. To end the stalemate, both parties must identify mutually beneficial bargains based on what each country wants. There needs to be clarity if the United States wants China to reduce its bilateral trade surplus or is there something else. Once this has been understood, the two countries can cultivate a relationship built on mutual benefit and balance. The United States should be open to China's people and ideas, and China should also open to the opinions of the United States. The United States should consider the incorporation of Chinese firms in its economy, and those of the United States should also stand a fair chance in the Chinese economy. Both countries should consider a mutually balanced and beneficial relationship to end the stalemate.
Theories
Migration Theory: New Economics
The new economics theory of migration stipulates that migration in developing countries can be understood as household decisions rather than individual choices. The theory states that the decision to migrate is taken collectively within households to mitigate risks and diversify the income resources for the family. If things go according to plan for the individuals who emigrated, they will provide support to their relatives in the country of origin.
The strength of this theory is on how individuals from developing countries use migration as a strategy to diversify the risks that are experiencing. The main incentive by migrant families to raise their income based on the new economics theory. The primary disadvantage of the modern economics of labor migration theory is its inability to explain the effects of long-term global migration patterns and how they are connected to the broader development processes of a country.
Foreign Policy Analysis – U.S. – China Trade Wars: Realism Theory
The classical realism theory can be used to interpret the perspective of U.S. trade relations with China. The core focus of the realism theory is on a country's position and interests in the international distribution of power. National interests, such as the distribution of economic and military power, as well as alliances in international trade, have proven to be universally acceptable principles to all states irrespective of their social organization. The realist theory assumes that an independent state acts rationally to advance their wealth, security, and power in an anarchic international system. Foreign policy usually refers to a country's national interests and can also be applied to domestic politics. Based on the realism theory, many at times, political leaders tend to engage in the struggle of power, focus on short-term security needs, and institute threats to advance their interests and maintain their reputations.
In international politics, the realism theory is critical because it helps justify the rationale of the decisions made by states in international politics. It also helps identify the correctness of actions taken by the government from among other viable alternatives. The realism theory is limited in that its highly invested in politics, power, and materialism other than the mechanisms to lead to actor behaviors and perceptions that shape the outcomes of their interactions.
The Theory of Frames
The framing theory can be used to focus on issues of specific frames rather than generic frames. The use of issue-specific frames in the Sino-U.S. tensions can be used to provide a more robust analysis of the strained relationship between the United States and China. This means that any form of political and international communication should consider the cultural context of both countries and how these cultures may be embedded in both political cultures to come to an amicable solution.
Conclusion
Immigration policy is closely linked with foreign policy and national security, with each either being influenced and acted upon by each other. To advance the interests of the United States in nati0onal security, foreign policy has been used by the federal government to either stimulate or inhibit migratory movements into the country. The implications and connections between these policies require multilateral approaches and cooperation with both local and international agencies.
References
Hudson Institute. (2019, July 7). China's Attempt to Influence U.S. Institutions: A Conversation with FBI Director Christopher Wray . [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MM2N-EefW8
Lastres, G. (2020). The Iceberg: Immigration Policies under Trump. Harvard Kennedy School Review , 20 , 58–61.
Lukin, A. (2019). The US–China Trade War and China's Strategic Future. Survival , 61 (1), 23-50. doi: 10.1080/00396338.2019.1568045
