Illegal immigration in the US
Country of origin and life in the US
Recent data estimates that the total number of undocumented immigrants in the US in 2016 was 10.7 million, down from 12.2 million in 2007. The same source estimates that over half of the illegal immigrants in the US are Mexicans, but also that the total number of Mexicans living in the US illegally has been dropping. Most other undocumented immigrants come from Central and South America. Out of the total number of illegal immigrants, over 7 million of them are believed to be working, representing 4.8% of the civilian workforce.
Most illegal immigrants take on low-paying jobs, which are usually rejected by American citizens. They work in services, agriculture, households, etc., and because of their undocumented status, they are often subjected to abuse at work. Also, illegal immigrants, despite being integrated into American society, often live with the fear of being deported to their home country. Consequently, their contribution to the economy has often been used as an argument to try and find ways for them to become legal residents.
Many of those who are strongly against illegal immigration talk about high crime rates among illegal immigrants, but there is some debate about the data on this point. Facto...
