How Many Immigrants Are There?
Another rather simple/obvious question is, how many immigrants are there, anyway? I found some nice facts over at citizenJoe. Here's what they say:
On average 750,000 legal immigrants come to the United States every year.
In 1999, approximately 1 million illegal/undocumented immigrants arrived. And after you account for those who leave or gain legal status, it averages out to around 500,000 coming in per year.
1.7 million illegal immigrants crossed the Mexican border in 2005. Of that number, 500,000 slipped through, and 1.2 million were arrested and either immediately returned to Mexico, or were released and told to appear in court - out of which 98,000 of those "failed to appear" (the US ended their "catch & release" policy in 2006).
In 2000 the total number of illegal/undocumented immigrants in the US was approximately 7 million, and it's estimated there are more than 11 million now.
http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/317
Okay, lots of numbers. A couple of things strike me - one, that there are more legal immigrants arriving every year than there are illegal or undocumented. All immigrants are not illegal. I say this only because sometimes you read comments in the local paper that make it sound like if English isn't your native language, you must be here illegally. Hello?!
The second thing that strikes me is the number 7 million. 7 million illegal immigrants. No wonder it's a political hot potato. Can you imagine 7 million people not showing up for work one day? Not paying rent, not buying groceries? It'd cripple the economy! Your job, your cost of living would be affected by their leaving, and not in a good way. 7 million legal citizens would not step in and take over where those who left, left off. I'm sorry - it just wouldn't happen. And that's the cornerstone of why sending everyone home doesn't work.
On average 750,000 legal immigrants come to the United States every year.
In 1999, approximately 1 million illegal/undocumented immigrants arrived. And after you account for those who leave or gain legal status, it averages out to around 500,000 coming in per year.
1.7 million illegal immigrants crossed the Mexican border in 2005. Of that number, 500,000 slipped through, and 1.2 million were arrested and either immediately returned to Mexico, or were released and told to appear in court - out of which 98,000 of those "failed to appear" (the US ended their "catch & release" policy in 2006).
In 2000 the total number of illegal/undocumented immigrants in the US was approximately 7 million, and it's estimated there are more than 11 million now.
http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/317
Okay, lots of numbers. A couple of things strike me - one, that there are more legal immigrants arriving every year than there are illegal or undocumented. All immigrants are not illegal. I say this only because sometimes you read comments in the local paper that make it sound like if English isn't your native language, you must be here illegally. Hello?!
The second thing that strikes me is the number 7 million. 7 million illegal immigrants. No wonder it's a political hot potato. Can you imagine 7 million people not showing up for work one day? Not paying rent, not buying groceries? It'd cripple the economy! Your job, your cost of living would be affected by their leaving, and not in a good way. 7 million legal citizens would not step in and take over where those who left, left off. I'm sorry - it just wouldn't happen. And that's the cornerstone of why sending everyone home doesn't work.
Labels: Immigration, statistics
posted by Karen at 6:00 PM
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