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58-644: In October 1964, the Border Guard Unit was formed as a police unit led by an assistant commissioner of police. The BGU acted as customs agents examining passengers and baggage aboard ships and aircraft. In 1988 the BGU was re-integrated into the Customs Excise and Preventive Service as a military unit. BGU designs and implements effective strategies and programmes to facilitate the movement of people across Ghana's international borders. The Border Guard Unit (BGU) ensures

116-591: A visa ). For example, most of the estimated 200,000 illegal immigrants in Canada (perhaps as high as 500,000) are refugee claimants whose refugee applications were rejected but who have not yet been expelled from the country. Another example is formed by children of foreigners born in countries observing jus soli ("right of territory"), such as was the case in France until 1994 and in Ireland until 2005. In these countries, it

174-500: A POE is considered unlawful, but not a criminal offence, or a civil offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act , SC 2001, c 27. Regulations under IRPA require that a person seeking to enter Canada outside a POE should "appear without delay" at the nearest entry point. Section 33 of the IRPA requires that any legal charges against a migrant be stayed while an entrant's asylum claim

232-550: A breach of immigration law. PICUM PICUM (the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants ) is a non-governmental organization located in Brussels that aims to promote social justice and respect for the human rights of undocumented migrants within Europe. It provides a direct link between the grassroots level, where undocumented migrants' experience

290-536: A country for a fee, but on arrival at their destination, the smuggled person is usually free. Trafficking involves a process of using physical force, fraud , or deception to obtain and transport people. Types of notorious human smugglers include Snakehead gangs present in mainland China (especially in Fujian ) that smuggle laborers into Pacific Rim states (making Chinatowns frequent centers of illegal immigration) and "coyotes", who smuggle undocumented immigrants to

348-596: A destination state legally, but these visas may be limited in number and subject to yearly quotas. This may result in family members entering illegally to reunify. From studying Mexican migration patterns, Douglas Massey finds that the likelihood that a Mexican national will emigrate illegally to the US increases dramatically if they have one or more family members already residing in the United States, legally or illegally. Unauthorised arrival into another country may be prompted by

406-460: A high probability of being denied. This has led some authors to suggest that the ideal of asylum has eroded in recent years in the Global North . If victims of forced displacement apply for asylum in the country they fled to and are granted refugee status they have the right to remain permanently. If asylum seekers are not granted some kind of legal protection status, then they may have to leave

464-409: A number of indicative judgments that there are enforcement barriers to expulsion to certain countries, for example, due to the risk of torture. The terminology surrounding illegal immigration is often controversial. In particular, describing people who immigrated illegally as illegal immigrants has been a matter of debate. It is nevertheless commonly used in formal contexts in some countries, including

522-771: A visa, often cross the borders illegally in some areas like the United States–Mexico border , the Mona Channel between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico , the Strait of Gibraltar , Fuerteventura , and the Strait of Otranto . Because these methods are illegal, they are often dangerous. Would-be immigrants have been known to suffocate in shipping containers , boxcars , and trucks, sink in shipwrecks caused by unseaworthy vessels, die of dehydration or exposure during long walks without water. An official estimate puts

580-422: Is a crime; specifically a misdemeanor on the first offense. Illegal reentry after deportation is a felony offense. This is the distinction between the larger group referred to as unauthorized immigrants and the smaller subgroup referred to as criminal immigrants. Democratic Senator and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has spoken out against the term "undocumented", stating that "Illegal immigration

638-561: Is assumed that the willingness to take undesirable jobs is what gives undocumented immigrants their employment. Evidence for this may be seen in the average wages of illegal day laborers in California, which was between $ 10 and $ 12 per hour according to a 2005 study, and the fact that this was higher than many entry-level white-collar or service jobs. Entry-level white-collar and service jobs offer advancement opportunities only for people with work permits and citizenship. Research indicates that

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696-596: Is being processed. The Government of Canada and the Immigration and Refugee Board use the term "irregular" to refer to these crossings. The Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party typically use the term "irregular", while the Conservative Party of Canada typically uses the term "illegal". The use of the term "undocumented" is increasingly prevalent among individual MPs and MLAs in Canada, and

754-541: Is contracted into for purely immigration advantage by a couple who are not in a genuine relationship. Common reasons for sham marriages are to gain immigration (i.e., immigration fraud), residency, work, or citizenship rights for one or both of the spouses or other benefits. In the United Kingdom, those who arrange, participate in, or officiate over a sham marriage may be charged with several offenses, including assisting unlawful immigration and conspiracy to facilitate

812-494: Is most visible, and the European level, where policies relating to them are discussed and implemented. PICUM also seeks to dialogue with organizations and networks with similar concerns in other parts of the world. PICUM currently represents an independent network of 167 member organisations working with undocumented migrants in 34 countries , primarily in Europe as well as in other global regions. The initiative to establish PICUM

870-465: Is required. Some people and organizations advocate an extension of the freedom of movement to include a freedom of movement – or migration – between the countries as well as within the countries. From this point of view, the proximal cause for migration-related issues are the immigration law themselves, that criminalize a victimless crime . Some examples do show that increases in poverty, especially when associated with immediate crises, can increase

928-447: Is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws , or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, from poorer to richer countries. Illegal residence in another country creates the risk of detention , deportation , and other imposed sanctions. Asylum seekers who are denied asylum may face impediment to expulsion if

986-522: Is wrong – plain and simple" and that proponents of the term were "not serious" about combatting illegal immigration. In Canada, as in the US, "illegal immigrant" is a commonly used term. However, there is confusion and deep dissent among many about what the term means under the law and what circumstances, and what it implies socially. "Irregular" is a term used by government authorities to refer to migrants who enter Canada outside of official border crossings ("points of entry"). Entrance into Canada outside of

1044-478: The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) launched its international "Words Matter" campaign in 2014 to promote the use of the terms undocumented or irregular migrants instead of illegal . Depending on jurisdiction, culture, or context, alternatives to illegal aliens or illegal immigrants can include irregular migrants , undocumented immigrants , undocumented persons , and unauthorized immigrants . In some contexts

1102-478: The Southwestern United States and have been known to abuse or even kill their passengers. Sometimes undocumented immigrants are abandoned by their human traffickers if there are difficulties, often dying in the process. Others may be victims of intentional killing. Many undocumented immigrants are migrants who originally arrive in a country lawfully but overstay their authorized residence (overstaying

1160-526: The carrying capacity of an area or environment results in overpopulation . Some "illegal" immigrants seek to live with loved ones who already live in a country that they are not allowed to enter, such as a spouse or other family members. Having a family who has immigrated or being from a community with many immigrants is a much better predictor of one's choice to immigrate than poverty. Family reunification visas may be applied for by legal residents or naturalized citizens to bring their family members into

1218-504: The 1951 Refugee Convention or do not attempt to follow its guidelines are likely to consider refugees and asylum seekers as illegal immigrants. In a 2012 news story, the CSM reported, "The estimated 750,000 Rohingya , one of the most miserable and oppressed minorities in the world, are deeply resentful of their almost complete absence of civil rights in Myanmar . In 1982, the military junta stripped

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1276-721: The Immigration Policy Center, there are currently about nine million illegal immigrants in the U.S. There are about half a million more illegal immigrants every year. In addition, The United States spends about $ 3.8 billion on border enforcement each year. Research on the economic effects of illegal immigration is scant, but existing studies suggest that the effects can be positive for the native population, and for public coffers. One 2015 study states that "increasing deportation rates and tightening border control weakens low-skilled labor markets, increasing unemployment of native low-skilled workers. Legalization, instead, decreases

1334-475: The Rohingya of their Myanmar citizenship, classing them as illegal immigrants and rendering them stateless ." In some countries, people born on national territory (henceforth not "immigrants") do not automatically obtain the nationality of their birthplace, and may have no legal title of residency. Families want to have better lives for their children and to succeed. The article "Learning to be Illegal" discusses

1392-429: The U.S. Census Bureau, undocumented immigrants in the United States often work in dangerous industries such as agriculture and construction. A recent study suggests that the complex web of consequences resulting from illegal immigrant status limits illegal workers' ability to stay safe at work. In addition to physical danger at work, the choice to immigrate for work often entails work-induced lifestyle factors which impact

1450-789: The US, only 12% of the labor force has less than a high school education, but 70% of illegal workers from Mexico lack a high school degree. The majority of new blue-collar jobs qualify as Massey's "underclass" work and suffer from unreliability, subservient roles and, critically, a lack of potential for advancement. These "underclass" jobs, which have a disproportionate number of undocumented immigrants, include harvesting crops, unskilled labor in landscaping and construction, house-cleaning, and maid and busboy work in hotels and restaurants. However, as even these "underclass" jobs have higher relative wages than those in home countries they are still attractive for undocumented immigrants and since many undocumented immigrants often anticipate working only temporarily in

1508-438: The US, youths brought into the country illegally are granted access to public K-12 education and benefits regardless of citizenship status; therefore the youths are not entirely undocumented, since they are documented for educational purposes. In the United States, while overstaying a visa is a civil violation handled by the immigration court , entering (including re-entering) the US without approval from an immigration officer

1566-542: The United States. Some workers are smuggled into the United States and Canada by human traffickers. People have been kidnapped or tricked into slavery to work as laborers, after entering the country, for example in factories. Those trafficked in this manner often face additional barriers to escaping slavery, since their status as undocumented immigrants makes it difficult for them to gain access to help or services. For example, Burmese women trafficked into Thailand and forced to work in factories or as prostitutes may not speak

1624-614: The United States. Title 8 of the US Code is the portion of United States law that contains legislation on citizenship , nationality , and immigration . Defining the legal term alien as "any person, not a citizen or national of the United States," The terminology used in Title 8 includes illegal alien (33 times), unauthorized alien (21 times), undocumented alien (18 times), illegal immigrant (6 times), undocumented person (2 times), and others. An analysis by PolitiFact , however, concluded that

1682-411: The advantage to firms employing undocumented immigrants increases as more firms in the industry do so, further increases with the breadth of a firm's market, and also with the labor intensity of the firm's production process. However, the advantage decreases with the skill level of the firm's workers, meaning that illegal immigrants do not provide as much competitive advantage when a high-skilled workforce

1740-473: The alternative term, undocumented immigrant. For example, the Associated Press continues to use the term illegal immigration , whereby illegal describes the action rather than the person. On the other hand, The New York Times said described undocumented immigrant as a "term preferred by many immigrants and their advocates, but it has a flavor of euphemism and should be used with caution outside

1798-762: The buildings in North Sinai. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain , Western Europe is being confronted with a serious problem related to the sexual exploitation of undocumented immigrants (especially from Eastern Europe ), for prostitution. In the United States, human trafficking victims often pass through the porous border with Mexico. To curb the spread of sex slavery and other predation on unauthorized immigrants, then California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Mexico Attorney General Marisela Morales Ibáñez signed an accord in 2012 to expand prosecutions of criminals typically members of transnational gangs who engage in

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1856-403: The country or stay as illegal immigrants. According to the 1951 Refugee Convention refugees should be exempted from immigration laws and should expect protection from the country they entered. It is, however, up to the countries involved to decide if a particular immigrant is a refugee or not, and hence whether they are subject to immigration controls. Furthermore, countries that did not sign

1914-657: The decline of real wages of US workers without a high school degree by 9% between 1980 and 2000 due to increased competition. Other economists, such as Gordon Hanson , criticized these findings. Douglas Massey argues that developed countries need unskilled immigrant labor to fill undesirable jobs, which citizens do not seek regardless of wages. Massey argues that this may refute claims that undocumented immigrants are "lowering wages" or stealing jobs from native-born workers and that it instead shows that undocumented immigrants "take jobs that no one else wants." A paper by Spanish economists found that, upon granting work permits to

1972-403: The destination country, the lack of opportunity for advancement is seen by many as less of a problem. Support for this claim can be seen in a Pew Hispanic Center poll of over 3,000 undocumented immigrants from Mexico in the US, which found that 79% would voluntarily join a temporary worker program that allowed them to work legally for several years but then required them to leave. From this, it

2030-562: The home country refuses to receive the person or if new asylum evidence emerges after the decision. In some cases, these people are considered illegal aliens. In others, they may receive a temporary residence permit, for example regarding the principle of non-refoulement in the International Refugee Convention . The European Court of Human Rights , referring to the European Convention on Human Rights , has shown in

2088-550: The incomes of illegal immigrants by a quarter (increasing U.S. GDP by approximately $ 1.4 trillion over a 10-years); a 2016 study found that "legalization would increase the economic contribution of the unauthorized population by about 20%, to 3.6% of private-sector GDP;" and a 2019 working paper by the University of Cyprus found that "all types of immigrants generate a larger surplus to US firms than natives do". According to economist George Borjas , immigrants may have caused

2146-552: The language and may be vulnerable to abuse by police due to their undocumented immigrant status. In some regions, people that are still en route to their destination country are also sometimes kidnapped, for example for ransom . In some instances, they are also tortured , raped , and killed if the requested ransom does not arrive. One case in point is the Eritrean migrants that are en route to Israel. A large number of them are captured in North Sinai (Egypt) and Eastern Sudan and held in

2204-971: The likelihood of illegal migration. The 1994 economic crisis in Mexico , after the start of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), was associated with widespread poverty and a lower valuation for the peso relative to the dollar. It also marked the start of a massive swell in Mexican immigration, in which net illegal migration to the US increased every year from the mid-1990s until the mid-2000s. There are also examples where natural disasters and population growth can amplify poverty -driven migration flows. Many leave their country fleeing gender-based violence , such as honor crime or forced marriage , especially from conflicts area. Women in illegal situations are especially at risk of sexual exploitation or rape . Population growth that exceeds

2262-465: The need to escape civil war or repression in the country of origin. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights upheld by the United Nations guarantees the right of asylum, and as such, asylum seekers are typically treated differently from undocumented immigrants. In practice, however, many asylum seekers are subjected to exceedingly long waiting periods, isolated and unsafe detention facilities, and

2320-471: The number of people who died in illegal crossings across the U.S.–Mexican border between 1998 and 2004 at 1,954 (see immigrant deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border ). Human smuggling is the practice of intermediaries aiding undocumented immigrants in crossing over international borders for financial gain, often in large groups. Human smuggling differs from but is sometimes associated with human trafficking . A human smuggler will facilitate illegal entry into

2378-580: The physical, mental and social health of immigrants and their families. Each year there are several hundred deaths along the U.S.–Mexico border of immigrants crossing the border illegally. Death by exposure occurs in the deserts of Southwestern United States during the hot summer season. In 2016 there were approximately 8,000 migrant deaths, with about 63% of deaths occurring within the Mediterranean. Immigrants from countries that do not have automatic visa agreements, or who would not otherwise qualify for

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2436-611: The quotation." Newsweek questions the use of the phrase undocumented immigrants as a method of euphemistic framing , namely, "a psychological technique that can influence the perception of social phenomena." Newsweek also suggests that persons who enter a country unlawfully cannot be entirely "undocumented," as they "just lack the certain specific documents for legal residency and employment," while "[m]any have driver's licences, debit cards, library cards, and school identifications which are useful documents in specific contexts but not nearly so much for immigration." For example, in

2494-641: The right to health and access to healthcare is fundamental and independent of a person's legal status. However, on a domestic level, many States in Europe have established the right to health as a welfare right, making it subject to citizenship or other administrative requirements. Whether it's due to the danger behind disclosing their status or because of the inherently unfair social infrastructures, these barriers are present in all types of services, from social security to health. Research at San Diego State University estimates that there are 2.4 million victims of human trafficking among illegal Mexican immigrants in

2552-566: The rights of undocumented people at the EU level and ensure that the EU's migration policy is in line with Member States' obligations under regional and international human rights standards. PICUM's office opened in November 2000 in Brussels. PICUM ’s activities are focused in four main areas: PICUM’s main areas of work include: PICUM has also been advocating to change the narrative around migration and undocumented migrants, by raising awareness about

2610-400: The risk of having to disclose their status. In other words, undocumented migrants are not protected by labour standards and regulations as people with legal status are. Where the minimum wage is several times the prevailing wage in the home country, employers sometimes pay less than the legal minimum wage or have unsafe working conditions, relying on the reluctance of illegal workers to report

2668-503: The safety the children have in K-12 schooling. The children are guaranteed education in a safe environment. Aside from the possibility that they may be intercepted and deported, illegal immigrants also face other problems. Illegal immigrants usually have no or very limited access to public health systems, proper housing, education and banks . For instance, the current international human rights framework stipulates in various documents that

2726-624: The security of Ghana's international borders and entry and exit points against illegal immigration and cross-border criminals . Its tasks include: The BGU's primary operation is detection and apprehension of illegal aliens and smugglers of aliens at or near the land borders . Some of the major BGU operational activities include maintaining traffic checkpoints and security checkpoints along highways ( Ghana Road Network ) leading from border areas, conducting snap checks and anti- smuggling within Ghana. These BGU operational activities are performed with

2784-482: The term illegal immigrant, except in quotations. These organizations presently include the Associated Press (US), Press Association (UK), European Journalism Observatory , European Journalism Centre , Association of European Journalists , Australian Press Council , and Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (AU). Related terms that describe actions are not similarly discouraged. Most commonly they use

2842-414: The term illegal alien "occurs scarcely, often undefined or part of an introductory title or limited to apply to certain individuals convicted of felonies." Some campaigns discourage the use of the term illegal immigrant , generally based on the argument that the act of immigrating illegally does not make the people themselves illegal, but rather they are "people who have immigrated illegally." In Europe,

2900-477: The term illegal immigrants is shortened, often pejoratively , to illegals . Irregular migration is a related term that is sometimes used, e.g. by the International Organization for Migration ; however, because of the word migration , this term describes a somewhat wider concept, including illegal emigration . Some news associations have in their style guide discontinued or discouraged

2958-672: The trafficking of human beings between the two countries. Most countries have laws requiring workers to have proper documentation, often intended to prevent or minimize the employment of undocumented immigrants. However, the penalties against employers are often small and the acceptable identification requirements are vague, ill-defined and seldom checked or enforced, making it easy for employers to hire illegal labor, although repeat offenders may receive harsher punishment. Additionally, if an employer does not maintain proper safety standards, refuses to pay, or creates overall precarious working conditions, looking for remedies or redress would also mean

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3016-556: The undocumented immigrant population in Spain , the fiscal revenues increased by around €4,189 per newly legalized immigrant. The paper found that the wages of the immigrants increased after receiving work permits. At the same time, some low-skilled natives had worse labor market outcomes and high-skilled natives had improved labor market outcomes. Since the decline of working-class blue-collar jobs in manufacturing and industry, younger native-born generations have acquired higher education. In

3074-413: The unemployment rate of low-skilled natives and increases income per native." This is because the presence of illegal immigrants reduces the labor costs of employers, providing them more opportunities to create more jobs. A 2013 study by the liberal think tank Center for American Progress found that granting citizenship to people who immigrated illegally would boost the U.S. economy: doing so would raise

3132-630: The use of UCAVs , UAVs , attack helicopters , armoured fighting vehicles , pick-up vehicles , and all purpose motorbikes . The BGU physically examines containerized goods at Boankra Inland Port , Akosombo Port , Takoradi Harbour and Tema Harbour . BGU is working to streamline and fully automate customs processes and procedures under the Ghana Customs Management System (GCMS) and the Ghana Community Network (GCNET). Illegal immigration Illegal immigration

3190-413: The violations to the authorities. Undocumented employees' ability to work legally no longer exists, which makes it easier for corporations to take advantage of their services. Unfair and unjust, the exploitation of undocumented immigrants' labor goes unpunished because they are not considered legal immigrants. The search for employment is central to illegal international migration. According to data from

3248-504: Was also used in a NDP policy document as well as by Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath in a 2018 platform document. Conservative MP Dave Epp referred to "undocumented workers" in a 2020 interview with the CBC wherein he called for an end to the use of contract migrant labour by Canadian agriculture businesses, in part because many such workers are undocumented and therefore vulnerable to exploitation and unsafe working conditions. Based on data from

3306-537: Was possible to obtain French or Irish nationality (respectively) solely by being born in France before 1994 or in Ireland before 2005 (respectively). At present, a French born child of foreign parents does not automatically obtain French nationality until residency duration conditions are met. Since 1 January 2005, a child born in Ireland does not automatically acquire Irish nationality unless certain conditions are met. Some people enter into sham marriages , whereby marriage

3364-465: Was taken in the late 1990s by grassroots organisations from Belgium , the Netherlands , and Germany , that provided support to undocumented people. As national asylum policies became more and more Europeanised, these organisations found that there was a real vacuum regarding the humanitarian concerns of undocumented people at the European policy level. They decided to set up a platform to advocate for

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