Illegal Immigration in the United States: An Economic, Social and Political Overview of the Current Debate

In the last year, much has been made of the current immigration situation in the United States. With the debut of George Bush’s ambitious proposal to reform current immigration legislation, the attention of both lawmakers and the nation has been drawn inexorably toward this thorny, complex topic. In response to Bush’s proposal, economists have calculated the costs and benefits of illegal immigration, conservatives have spoken out against illegal immigration and any perceived amnesty offered to those here illegally, liberals have struggled to support immigrant rights as well as the rule of law, and the immigrants themselves have come together to make themselves heard both socially and politically. Everyone in the country, from the Spanish-speaking migrant worker, to the highly visible Congressmen battling to create a policy that everyone can get behind, has something to say about this issue.