According to Martin, the population in 2005 it was 1,291,142, in 2006 it was 1,206,457, in 2007 the population of illegal immigrants was 960,756 and in 2008 it was 791,568. Its clear that the illegal immigrant population has decreased but for the people that have entered have stayed here to start a new life. As the population grows it grows to cause the US economy through the displacement of American workers, the drain on social services and their role in the criminal justice system. .

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             One of the strongest instances of illegal immigrants harming the US economy and workforce is through displacement. Displacement is responsible for an estimated two million American job losses a year and occurs when "established workers, whether natives or immigrants, lose their jobs to new immigrants, often illegal newcomers, who will work for substandard wages" (Dudley 32). An example of this can be found in the California tomato industry, where a group of unionized legal border- crossers had been working as tomato croppers for many years. These workers were making $4.00 and hour in 1980. During that year the tomato growers decided to hire a group of illegal immigrants who were willing to work $3.35 an hour. The original legal workers were not willing to lower their wages and were consequently forced out of the tomato industry in San Diego County. Unfortunately, this illegal workforce importation is mostly harming the "least skilled segment of [the country's] labor force that is already having the greatest difficulty finding employment (Dudley 34). .

             Many Americans cannot compete with illegal work-forces in the country who are willing to work for low wages. According to Frank L. Morris, the retired dean of Morgan State University's graduate school, African-Americans in areas with high populations of illegal immigrants are having the most trouble obtaining jobs and keeping them. A majority of African-Americans employed as construction workers, restaurant workers, farm workers, janitors, security guards, taxi drivers, and child care workers in these high-immigration states "are being denied opportunities that are given to immigrant workers" (Dudley 34).