Immigration, Illegal, Economic Impact of

Illegal immigration is a growing problem in the advanced countries. It undermines the authority of legal immigration programs and raises concerns about the fiscal impact of expanding underground activity. Illegal immigration may also affect employment opportunities for native workers and can have an impact on the local communities in which undocumented foreign workers are employed. In some countries the authorities worry that illegal immigration may alter the ethnic composition of the population and challenge the political and economic status of the natives as well as the country's cultural homogeneity. Illegal immigration can be even perceived as a threat to internal security and national cohesiveness. The purpose of this entry is to discuss the phenomenon of illegal immigration with a focus on its economic impact in the host country. What forms does it take, which industries hire illegal aliens, who benefits from it, and who is adversely affected? Keywords: immigration; labor; migrant workers