History of Illegal Immigration (in a couple of minutes)

Although the exact number of people living in the US illegally difficult to calculate estimates between 7 and 20 million people are living illegally in the United States today. For the past several years, illegal immigration has become an increasingly larger concern to the American public.

Paradox of illegal immigration is how it simultaniously affirms the values and standards that we believe america to stand for, yet it also that it also places strain on what Dan Stien, Director of FAIR calls "the common bonds that Americans consider essential” (Stine).



Jared Bernstein and Ross Eisenbrey put it eloquently in their article, “Breaking The Immigration Deadlock.” (June 29, 2007)

Let’s go back to first principles: the problem isn’t immigration. It’s illegal immigration. We are a nation of immigrants, but we are not a nation of undocumented workers, living in the shadows, serving the underground economy, and prevented from integrating into the mainstream. (Bernstein)