Immigration is ultimately detrimental to the host country.
Immigration is not beneficial to the host country when efforts made to bring the immigrants into the societal fabric are ineffective. There can be different types of efforts the host country come up with for the good of the immigrants, for instance, the integration policy, which promotes open-mindedness towards immigrants, usually through initiatives to promote social cohesion such as education and employment (Hickman et.al, 2008). Another policy is the assimilation policy, which aims to force immigrants to pick up the host country’s culture and language, to establish a common ground and be included in the society (Quora, n.d.). However, these efforts made can be unsuccessful, causing immigration to be ultimately detrimental to the host country.
The efforts of immigration are not concerted when the people of the country are not open to immigrants and discriminate against them. This could be because immigrants are thought to be challenging the host country’s social stability and identity (Boundless, 2015). When immigrants bring their own traditions and culture to the host country, they change those of the people of the host country’s. With an increase in immigration, there is a change in racial or ethnic composition in the host country, which causes the original identity, including the culture and traditions of the people, of the host country to be lost slowly.
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The difference in beliefs and lack of understanding of cultures may lead to unhappiness with the different groups, and cause social tensions and the lack of social cohesion. Therefore, the locals may avoid the immigrants, or in extreme cases, even develop xenophobia, which is the dislike or prejudice against foreigners. If the host country does not have an open-minded attitude towards the immigrants, how does the host country expect the immigrants to be receptive towards their rules and regulations? Since the immigrants are in a situation where they do not feel welcomed, and are even deprived of opportunities to interact with the locals, they are unable to live harmoniously with the citizens in the country, and can not contribute actively and positively, thus depriving the host country of their talents.
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As a result, the purpose of these immigration policies are not met and become futile efforts. If they are not rectified, it may result in a brittle and fragile society, making the host country prone to unrest. Since most citizens are not playing their part to include immigrants into the society, and are hostile towards them, this may lead to the immigrants developing negative feelings towards the host country. Consequently, the immigrants may feel threatened by the locals, and will not want to gel with the society anymore, and may form enclaves with other immigrants who experience the same ostracisation from the locals. These groups may affect the social fabric of the country, and might even resort to violent conflicts to secure their rights and privileges as part of their host country. The violent conflict might then lead to social unrest in the host country, extending the rift between the locals and immigrants. The work force will be less efficient, and the productivity rates will drop, eventually resulting in a decline of the host country’s economy.