Illegal Alien and Immigrant Issues

The unauthorised alien (illegal alien) population in the United States is a key and controversial immigration issue. In recent years, competing views on how to address this population have proved to be a major obstacle to enacting comprehensive immigration reform legislation. It is unknown, at any point in time, how many unauthorised aliens are in the United States, what countries they are from, when they came to the United States, where they are living, and what their demographic, family, and other characteristics are. This book examines the illegal alien and immigrant issues facing the United States today, with a focus on unauthorised unemployment and housing issues; immigration fraud and law; policies and issues toward alien children of illegal immigrants; the "DREAM Act" legislation; and the impact of unauthorised immigrants on the budgets of state and local governments.