Illegal immigration has been around for a long time and has been a major problem here in the United States. Illegal immigration will not decrease in the immediate future. Illegal immigration is not only a problem for the economy but also for the security of the country. The main concern for Americans is that illegal immigrants are undercutting the wages of honest, hard-working American citizens. Illegal immigrants are able to achieve this by working for lower wages and without some of the benefits American workers demand. Most of the impact that illegal immigrants have on the economy occurs primarily on workers in the workforce. The impact is most negative at the lower end of the wage scale because illegal immigrants can work for wages lower than the minimum wage. They work tax-free as non-citizens. This helps fill the labor market with cheaper, more readily available labor. Some companies turn to this form of work because it is inexpensive and they do not have to demand taxes by paying them illegitimately. Some argue that illegal immigrants are taking advantage of our tax-paid social services, such as education and medicine. Since 1798, laws have been in place to control immigration into our country. The Naturalization Law added stricter guidelines on how long it takes for a foreigner to obtain citizenship. Acts such as the Alien Act allowed for the deportation of people deemed dangerous in times of peace. Another act called the Alien Enemies Act allowed immigrants deemed dangerous during times of war to be imprisoned or expelled from the country. All this legislation shows that we are willing to welcome people into our country, but they should be legitimate and they should not pose a danger to the country or... middle of paper... and there is no sympathy from the working class. The deep pockets of Wall Street do not oppose immigration because it provides their companies with cheap labor and their companies thrive and grow. In today's America a small startup business will most likely not survive ten years from now. With all the taxes and regulations on small businesses, it's a challenge just to get a business off the ground for American citizens. I was given an example that it is easier for a non-citizen to make a profit from a new business. If a non-citizen were to open a gas station before becoming a citizen, he or she would not have to pay taxes. This would mean that all the money he makes is purely profit. If an American citizen attempted the same business, he would be taxed for his small business and every penny he earned, this does not create fair and equitable conditions for Americans.