Reasons for Illegal Immigration

Till this date the number of illegal immigrants living in the United States is unknown. According to rough estimates, the figures run to more than 7 million people. Illegal immigration generally describes a person or people illegally entering a country. In today's time, illegal immigration is a huge problem not only for the US but for the entire world. Various terms that are used to describe an illegal immigrant are undocumented immigrant, undocumented alien or undocumented worker. Illegal immigration comprises of a vast category, some people enter in a foreign land illegally, others overstay the number of days permitted on their visa and violate the rules and regulations of that country. In both the cases, one of the most common reasons for illegal immigration is the search for a better lifestyle for the person and his/her family.

Economic and political unrest in the country is also one of the popular reasons for illegal immigration. Some people move away to give their family a safe life and their children a better education. Technologically advanced countries or developed countries are frequent victims of infinite cases of illegal immigration. The United States is no stranger to the impacts of illegal immigration. Every year, many people try to get into the US through the Caribbean and cross the Atlantic ocean. Some immigrants fly to Mexico and then they take the help of a smuggler or a coyote who helps them illegally cross the border into the United States of America. This article is not about the different ways to get into the US illegally, but it's about finding out the reasons of illegal immigration.

What are the Causes of Illegal Immigration?

Why do so many people come daily to United States illegally? What are the various reasons for illegal immigration? What can be done to stop illegal immigration in the United States? Let's find out.

* I think everyone in the world knows, that most immigrants coming to the US come from Mexico. Mexico has low economy and a high population. The country is still engaged in a war with various Mexican drug cartels which kills more than 80,000 people every year. The US on the other hand has a powerful economy with more number of jobs and a safe environment which attracts Mexican residents to come here.
* Most people in Mexico live under the extreme poverty line. Mexico is not a third world country but it's also not a developed economy. United States offers more benefits for the unemployed and for people living on the streets. This is a major bait for many Mexican illegal immigrants.
* There's a high percentage of people coming into the US not for employment or food, but they come here to meet their long lost brothers or family members. It's a common practice for immigrants to cross the border to meet their loved ones.

Illegal Immigration Facts

Now, that the reasons for illegal immigration are clear, how about checking out some illegal immigration facts and statistics, to get a clear picture of this situation.

* According to the Pew Hispanic Center, in 2008, the illegal immigration population stood at 11.9 million.
* The Censor Board of the country declared that the immigrant population in total had reached to 38 million, in which one-third were illegal immigrants.
* Here's a shocking illegal immigration fact. As per 2008 records, there were about 7.7 million illegal immigrants employed in various US jobs.
* Illegal immigrants is not just a statistical problem but also a major threat to the legal citizens of the United States. More than 80% of them have committed crimes besides just violating immigration rules and regulations.
* The government is implementing more strict guidelines on Social Security Numbers to curb the rising number of illegal immigrants in the city.
* A startling illegal immigration statistics is that more than 30% of the criminals and gangsters caught in the United States are found to be illegal immigrants.
* If illegal immigration continues at this alarming rate, there's a higher chance that the US population will increase from 308 million to 500 million by 2050.

Why is Illegal Immigration Bad?

The main reason why illegal immigration is bad because it increases tax load on legal citizens and legal immigrants of the country. Illegal immigrants are entitled to free medical and social services as they normally don't have money. They can also receive welfare checks and food stamps. This causes a shortage of amenities for actual US citizens who are going through a tough time. The kids of illegal immigrants are given education, thus increasing the student population in class. Plus, they also don't pay any taxes, which causes a tax raise on legal US citizens. You can have a better idea, by reading this article on Buzzle on illegal immigration pros and cons.

I hope this article on the reasons for illegal immigration was resourceful. Illegal immigration is a crime and the only way to stop it is to make the land and sea borders more secure, and also encourage development in poorer countries.

By Kulbhushaan Raghuvanshi
Published: 2/14/2011

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