With over 10 million undocumented immigrants in the US (as of 2009), the issue of illegal immigration continues to divide Americans.
Some people say that illegal immigration benefits the US economy through additional tax revenue, expansion of the low-cost labor pool, and increased money in circulation. They contend that immigrants bring good values, have motivations consistent with the American dream, perform jobs that Americans won’t take, and that opposition to immigration stems from racism.
Opponents of illegal immigration say that aliens who break the law by crossing the US border without proper documentation or by overstaying their visas should be deported and not rewarded with a path to citizenship and access to social services. They argue that illegal aliens are criminals and social and economic burdens to law-abiding, tax-paying Americans.
Immigration ProCon.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit website that presents facts, studies, and pro and con statements on questions related to illegal immigration in the US. The term "alien" refers to all non-US nationals and to all non-US citizens. The term "immigrant" refers to an alien with lawful permanent resident status who has been granted the right by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service to reside permanently and to work without restrictions in the United States. The term "illegal alien" is used for aliens who have entered the United States without authorization and who are deportable if apprehended, or who entered the United States legally but who have fallen "out of status" and are also deportable.
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