Across the world, it’s estimated there are more than 100 million people who are forcibly displaced because of war, political turmoil, and other hardships. Some of these individuals, also known as refugees, will come to the United States and ask for status that allows them to live and work in America. In effect, refugee status allows someone to jump to the front of the immigration line, bypassing the complex application process that limits the number of people who can legally enter the US each year. What criteria are used to determine who is a refugee? How many refugees does the US admit each year?

One of the most controversial and important topics in American politics is the security of its borders. Over the last two years, the system has been overwhelmed by large numbers of entrants. How does the U.S. government protect its borders? Why are we experiencing such an increase in border activity?

America is a nation of immigrants. Virtually all of us can trace our ancestry to people who immigrated to the United States. Even so, immigration is a controversial issue, particularly in the case of unauthorized immigration, where individuals enter or reside in the United States in violation of the law. How many individuals in the United States are unauthorized? Does unauthorized immigration have negative consequences, such as an increase in crime? This brief focuses on unauthorized immigration; there are links in the Further Reading section to other immigration-related topics such as Authorized Immigration, Refugees and Asylum, and Border Security.