Immigration to the United States is a complex demographic phenomenon that has been a major source of
population growth and cultural change throughout much of the
history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants, settlement patterns, impact on upward
social mobility, crime, and voting behavior. On a per capita basis, the United States lets in fewer immigrants than half the countries in the
OECD.