The U.S. immigration system is widely acknowledged as broken, with differing views on the root issues and solutions. Challenges include outdated policies, limited legal pathways, overwhelming demand, and political polarization hindering progress towards comprehensive reform.

The US immigration system faces challenges as it struggles to accommodate the high demand for legal immigration, with limited pathways available. Issues include long waiting times for family-sponsored visas, low approval rates for diversity lottery and refugee programs, and a mismatch between current policies and economic needs.

The chapter discusses the challenges in the US border control and immigration system, highlighting the significant increase in encounters at the Southwest border, the use of parole programs by the Biden Administration, and the overwhelming backlog in immigration courts.