America as a whole is now defined by a single phrase: “Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” written by a young immigrant from Portugal, Emma Lazarus, and engraved on the Statue of Liberty. With more and more people entering the country, the United States quickly became the ultimate melting pot that it is today. Over time, America remains welcoming to millions of immigrants. However, entering the United States has become much more complicated. This complication has given rise to a new type of immigration: illegal immigration. Ignoring American laws, these immigrants enter the country unnoticed and assimilate into American culture. With expanded borders and law-breaking citizens, the government is actually allowing them to cause major damage. To fully understand the issues surrounding illegal immigration, one must first understand the history of illegal immigration in the United States. In the country's early days, few policies were in place to regulate immigration. According to most reports, the only people refused entry into the country were those considered criminals, anarchists, or carriers of disease (Eyewitness to History). The protection of this country and its people remains the main objective. Even today, almost any foreigner has the possibility of legally residing in this country. However, over the years, the legalization process in the United States has become much more difficult. The United States' zero-tolerance policy means that when illegal immigrants are discovered, they must be deported. Since the current system is much stricter, many say the policies are very proactive and effective. The policies are strict on paper but one question remains...... middle of paper ......ion Studies 31.4 (2005): 775-94. Print. Higgins, Peter. “Open borders and the right to immigration.” ebscohost.com. March 19, 2008. The web. March 22, 2014. Immigration Policy Center, ed. “A Complete Guide to Immigration.” October 2006. “Immigration in the Early 1900s.” eyewitnesstohistory.com. 2000. Internet. March 22, 2014. Mac Donald, Heather. “The Illegal and Alien Crime Wave.” City Journal. manhattan-institute.org. 2004. Internet. March 22, 2014. Malanga, Steve. “How Unskilled Immigrants Are Hurting Our Economy.” City Journal. manhattan-institute.org. 2006. Internet. March 22, 2014. Nadadur, Ramanujan. “Illegal Immigration: A Positive Economic Contribution to the United States.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 35.6 (2009): 1037-052. Print.Wallace, Andrew, Matthew Kretman and Scott Strogatz. “The Immigration Debate: Economic Impact.” umich.edu University of Michigan, Web. February 26. 2014