The United States is a country of immigrants; its society a patchwork of distinct languages, cultures and customs. With each new wave of migrants, the one that came before wonders what to think of the newcomers, and whether they truly fit in. Congress is currently working on a new set of laws that, if passed, would make the biggest changes to the U.S. immigration system in decades. Immigration: The New Face of America is a collection of personal stories, interactive graphics and resources that seeks to put a human face on the political debate. It is a place to examine the "American Dream" and explore why it comes true for some, yet remains elusive for others. Join us in the conversation.
Question 1/ 10
0%
The bill, backed by President Obama, would invest $46 billion in new funding to increase border security and revamp the US visa system More
Detaining immigrants accused of breaking U.S. laws is a costly and booming business. The Department of Homeland Security requested nearly $2 billion for custody operations for 2013. The request followed a record-breaking year in 2011, when 429,000 foreign nationals were detained.
The government uses approximately 250 state and local jails, private prison companies and government-owned facilities to house the detainees.
Each red dot on the Google map below represents an immigration detention facility. Scroll over the dots for details, and press the play button or slide the red triangle to watch the growth of the industry.
ICE’s detention system houses men, women and children representing nearly every country in the world. Some crossed the border illegally or overstayed their visas; others commited violent crimes. U.S. legal permanent residents and asylum seekers are among them. Detainees may be locked up for days or months.
About 13 percent of the U.S. population today is foreign-born, slightly lower than the average a century ago. The U.S. Census surveys the population every 10 years to get a sense of the changing demographics. To track the changes, click on the graphics below.
The immigration system is said to be “broken” in part because there are 11 million people living illegally in the country, employers are hiring undocumented immigrants to cut costs, and businesses complain it's difficult to get visas for high-skilled workers.
This infographic is used courtesy of Quartz.