The United States is a country that was built on immigration. The first settlers, the Native Americans, represented less than 2% of the total population; the remaining 98% of the population are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Today, the United States still has the highest immigration rate in the world, with 757,434 naturalizations in fiscal year 2012 alone (US Naturalizations 2012, Department of Homeland Security). People try to immigrate to the United States for many reasons. Some people immigrate because they have been granted refugee status or asylum, while others immigrate to fulfill their dreams. Immigration has an effect on American society and the economy. The United States cannot survive without immigrants. Every year, many people immigrate to the United States for several reasons. There are those who come looking for a safe place to stay because their country is at war. Some immigrants left their country of origin to escape war or for fear of persecution. They are refugees and have the legal right to remain in the United States. Others come to the United States to seek protection; they are granted asylum and are also legal residents. Additionally, most immigrants leave their countries and come to the United States to fulfill their dreams. Even more so, the majority of immigrants are illegal immigrants who are all foreign-born non-residents. According to population estimates from the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration Statistics (2011): 4. The number of illegal immigrants in the United States has been estimated at 11,510,000. Regarding this large number alone of illegal immigrants, we can think of a possible impact of immigration in the United States. First, immigration has a huge impact on demographics and social change because it increases the U.S. population. M...... middle of paper ......ates: January 2010." Demographic estimates, Bureau of Immigration Statistics, Department of Homeland Security (2011): 4.Kica, Matos. "13 years is too long for people to wait." USA Today nd: Academic Search Complete. Web. November 20, 2013. Laura Parker "The United States simply wouldn't work without immigrant labor" USATODAY "7/22/2001 updated at 11:21 p.m. EThttp://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/july01/2001-07-23-immigrant.htmMelanie Oubre Population “Immigration-Fueled Growth Puts U.S. United on the fast track to natural resource depletion » Number USA Friday December 28, 2012, 11:40 a.m. ESThttps://www.numbersusa.com/content/nusablog/moubre/december-28-2012/population-growth-fueled -immigration-puts-us-fast-track-depletion-nMurphy, Dean E “Imagining Life Without Illegal Immigrants” New York Times January 11, 2004http://www.wright.edu/~tdung/ Immigrants.htm