Background Information
Visa backlogs, flawed guest worker programs, and the lack of permanent visas for unskilled workers have contributed to a broken immigration system in the United States. Visa backlogs keep family members apart for years—in some cases, up to twenty years. Guest worker programs allow employer abuse and exploitation. Unskilled workers from other countries have almost no way to enter the United States.
This broken system, coupled with economic pressures in other countries, has pressured many people to enter the United States in a manner which circumvents the legal system for entry. Undocumented immigrants may overstay a tourist, student, or guest worker visa, or they may cross one of the United States borders.
Currently, estimates place the undocumented population of the United States at 12 million. This constitutes about one third of the total number of immigrants in the entire country, or around four percent of the population. Some are young adults who were brought to the United States as minors, without any choice. Some are parents of children who are citizens—the Urban Institute estimates that 3 million children in the U.S. have at least one undocumented parent. Many are workers: undocumented workers account for 5% of all workers in the United States.
Undocumented immigrants and their family members are particularly vulnerable to civil rights abuses and violations because of their immigration status. While federal policy continues to be inadequate, state and local level immigration enforcement and anti-immigrant sentiment is increasing across the country. Many undocumented immigrants are finding themselves unable to obtain drivers’ licenses, healthcare, work, and an education.
These twelve million are trapped in a state of uncertainty until comprehensive immigration reform which addresses their plight is passed.
For more information contact socialjustice @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, May 1, 2009.
