This discussion will address the following outcomes:

Examine the contemporary issue of illegal immigration and evaluate potential solutions.

As you read this week in Gerber and Takaki, of the realities of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century United States is the presence of much larger numbers of undocumented immigrants.

This includes people who entered the United States without the necessary paperwork or overstayed their visa expiration.

Undocumented immigrants have often contributed greatly to American society and the economy, formed roots, and raised families here, including American-born children.

However, their lack of documentation also poses problems for immigration regulation, enforcement, and census records, as well as in gaining access to government programs.

Undocumented children and adults can have difficulty accessing health care, higher education, or the job market legitimately, making upward mobility nearly impossible. In the video you will watch for this week, Illegal Immigration: A Dangerous Journey, you will also see the physical dangers of crossing the border between Mexico and the US often through miles of desert.

In a post of at least 250 words consider the following:

What factors contributed to the rise of illegal immigration in the late twentieth century?

What solutions have been proposed to deal with illegal immigration and why? Which solutions do you agree with and why?