Immigration to the United States in the 2000s.

The process of traveling to live permanently in a country other than an individual’s native country; the processes and procedures required to obtain legal residence in a foreign country. Immigration was one of the most politically contentious issues of the 2000s after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States created widespread concern over the potential for immigrant involvement in terrorist activities. Immigration forms an important source of labor for many US industries and plays a major role in patterns of population growth and diversification. In addition, immigration became a major economic issue in the 2000s, especially in terms of the ongoing debate over the cost of immigration control programs and the economic impact of immigrants on native employment.