The Trump Wall

Illegal immigration is making headlines, as the American society is struggling to determine the economic and ethical appropriateness of a border wall with Mexico. The purpose of this paper is to review the problem of illegal migration from an economic, mostly macroeco- nomic, standpoint. The severe tensions facing the government justify the relevance of the topic. The paper begins with an insight into the history of immigration in America. The relationship between the eco- nomics and politics of immigration is discussed. The paper includes statistics to evaluate the key attributes of the immigrant labor force in the U.S. The role of illegal immigrants in the economy is thoroughly analyzed. The impacts of migrant workers on the country’s GDP are also estimated. Arguments are included to evaluate the welfare burden created by working illegal immigrants in the U.S. The paper raises questions of legalization for immigrant workers without legal status. Recommendations and implications for future research are included.