Episode+Analysis

You’ve probably heard a lot of talk about illegal immigrants, or undocumented people. For the last 30 years, unauthorized immigration has been a major political issue. It remains one of the most difficult to resolve.

The Numbers

No one really is sure how many undocumented immigrants live in the United States. Estimates range from 4 to 12 million people, but these are guesses. Moreover, the undocumented population fluctuates. Population experts have discovered that while there is a constant flow of undocumented people coming into the United States, there is also a counterflow leaving each year. This is especially true for undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Undocumented immigrants come from many parts of the world—Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mexicans make up the single largest group of undocumented workers. But many Mexicans remain only temporarily in the United States. Many get low-paid jobs that do not last long. When the jobs end, they often return to Mexico. One expert has claimed that the average stay of undocumented workers from Mexico is around six months. Of course, some remain for much longer, while others are caught and deported. Each year about 1 million people, the majority of them from Mexico, are arrested by immigration officers.

The Reasons

Thousands of Mexicans, some with their families, cross illegally into the United States each year looking for work. They come because of conditions in Mexico. Mexico’s population is increasing rapidly. It is projected to grow from 100 million in 2000 to 135 million in 2025. In 1975, Mexico’s population was 60 million.