Illegal immigration

Illegal immigration is cross-border migration or residence that violates the destination country’s immigration laws. Violations can involve unauthorized entry, overstaying a visa, or remaining after permission ends.

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Visa overstay: Remaining in a country beyond the period authorized by a visa or other temporary permission. A person can enter lawfully yet become unlawfully present by staying after authorized time expires.
Immigration enforcement: Government actions to administer and enforce laws governing entry, residence, and removal of noncitizens. This is the broader system through which violations are detected and addressed.
Legal immigration: Migration conducted with the permissions and procedures required by the destination country’s laws. It is the direct legal contrast, though a person’s status may change after arrival.
Illegal alien: A contested legal and political phrase used in the United States for a noncitizen alleged to violate immigration law. Its use highlights disputes over whether illegality should describe conduct or a person.
Unauthorized entry: Crossing into a country without the entry permission required by its laws. It is one route into unlawful presence, distinct from overstaying after lawful entry.
Immigration status: A person’s legal classification under a country’s immigration laws, including rights and limits on residence. Status affects access to work, services, and protection from removal.
Refugee: A person outside their country who meets a legal definition of protection from persecution or serious harm. Refugee protection is a distinct legal category, not simply a synonym for unauthorized migration.
Crimmigration: The convergence of criminal law and immigration enforcement in the regulation of noncitizens. It examines how immigration violations become entangled with criminal processes and penalties.
Deportation: The formal removal of a noncitizen from a country under its immigration laws. Authorities may use removal procedures when they determine a person lacks permission to remain.
Undocumented immigrant: A person living in a country without current authorization under that country’s immigration laws. This term describes many people covered by the concept while avoiding a claim that the person is inherently illegal.