ABSTRACT
Current census reports indicate that the immigrant population in the United States, both legal and undocumented, has reached an all-time high of 35 million, constituting about 12% of the total population (Camarota, 2005). Often described as a “nation of immigrants,” the United States is by far one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse countries in the world, and its economic and political strength is a direct result of the enormous contributions made by immigrants (Marsella & Ring, 2003). Ironically, however, the current climate centers on a growing public concern that recent immigrants are becoming a burden to the U.S. economy. Moreover, the uneasiness often focuses on the steady growth of the undocumented immigrant population, which is estimated to be at nearly 10 million (Camarota, 2005).
