Incorrect… they broke the law to get here.
There is no “line” for the vast majority of undocumented immigrants. Accusations that immigrants in the U.S. illegally - numbering an estimated 12 million, and representing five to six percent of the U.S. workforce - should simply get in line miss the point: There is no line and the “regular channels” do not include them.
Approximately 500,000 undocumented immigrants enter the U.S. each year - most coming to work and typically to do so in the service sector - yet there are only 5,000 green cards for unskilled workers. Until there are more legal avenues for employers to hire immigrant workers, illegal immigration will fill the gap and we will not gain the control over immigration that the American people demand.
Depending on what family-based category you are in, it take up to 10 to 15 years before you can be eligible to apply for your visa to enter the U.S.
According to the April 2009 Visa Bulletin, Mexican spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents have a current estimated wait of more than 7 years, while the siblings of U.S. citizens from the Philippines must wait 22 ½ years.
Congress has established an annual ceiling of 226,000 visas for family-based immigrant petitions. Once that annual quota is reached, no more family-based immigrant petitions are granted regardless of the number filed.
Despite alarmist predictions to the contrary, the General Accounting Office (GAO) has found that “massive chain migration is generally not occurring” and studies have determined that “a new immigrant will, ultimately, sponsor 1.2 dependents.”
Finally, two thirds of immigrants are here lawfully-either as naturalized citizens or in some other lawful status. Moreover, almost half of all undocumented immigrants entered the United States legally. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, one third of all immigrants are undocumented, one third have some form of legal status and one third are naturalized citizens. This applies to immigrants from Latin America as well as others.
Almost half of all undocumented immigrants entered the United States on visas that allowed them to reside here temporarily-either as tourists, students, or temporary workers. This means they were subject to inspection by immigration officials before entering the country, and became undocumented only when their visas expired and they didn’t leave the country.