Part 4/16:
The ongoing debate on illegal immigration points to a larger economic and political struggle. Critics argue that the elites’ interest in maintaining a large, inexpensive labor force—often composed of illegal migrants—has been detrimental to the American working class. Historically, in the 1970s, just 4% of the U.S. population was foreign-born, whereas today, that figure exceeds 15%. This dramatic increase has led to intense competition for low-wage jobs, driving down wages and making upward mobility more challenging for native-born Americans.