Immigration to the United States has been a source of cultural change and major population growth throughout America’s history. The social, political, and economic aspects of immigration have also led to many controversies about religion, ethnicity, economic benefits, settlement patterns, job growth, nationalities, crime levels, work habits, and moral values. As of 2006, the United States has accepted more immigrants than any other country in the world. The U.S. population has a total of approximately 37.5 million immigrants.
The results of immigration presented many new challenges for the United States government. In 1998, during his commencement address held at Portland State University, former president Bill Clinton declared his support for the immigrants, particularly the ones from Latin America and Asia. Clinton stated that America has incessantly drawn spirit and strength from wave after wave of the immigrants. He added that the immigrants have been proved to be the most adventurous, the most industrious, the most restless, and the most innovative people.
Since the 1960s, immigration to the U.S. has been dangerous and expensive for those who have illegally crossed the border from Mexico. However, recent legislation has attempted to halt illegal immigration. As a result, a barrier was built along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.
On the other hand, many cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., San Diego, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Phoenix, Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis, Jersey, Seattle, Baltimore, Denver, Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon, and Miami have adopted ordinances that ban law enforcement officers from asking people about their immigration status.