Thread: New report shows exodus of Arizona immigrants since 2007

Phoenix Business Journal by Mike Sunnucks, Senior Reporter
Date: Wednesday, August 8, 2012, 12:52pm MST

Arizona may have lost one-quarter of its illegal immigrants since the recession, new laws and police crackdowns.

The number of undocumented immigrants living in Arizona may have dropped by as many as 144,000 persons since 2007, according to a new immigration report.

That same report shows California’s illegal immigrant population is stable, but Nevada, Texas and Washington with rising undocumented populations.

The report from the Center for Immigration Studies estimates the number of Arizona illegal immigrants at between 435,000 and 479,000.

CIS research director Steven Camarota said the lower number is based on U.S. Census Bureau data while the higher number takes into account an estimated 10 percent national undercount of the actual number of illegal immigrants living in the U.S.

Both numbers are down from previous CIS estimates that pegged the state’s undocumented population at 579,000 in 2007.

That translates into a drop between 17 percent and 25 percent.

The new CIS report dovetails with other immigration studies showing Arizona’s undocumented population on the decline.

The recession has bled construction, service and hospitality jobs leading some immigrant workers — legal and illegal — to try other U.S. job markets.

Immigration raids by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio as well as state laws aimed at employers that hire undocumented workers and requiring police to ask about immigration status also prompted some illegal immigrants to exit the state.

Steven Camarota said the lower number is based on U.S. Census Bureau data while the higher number takes into account an estimated 10 percent national undercount of the actual number of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. Both numbers are down from previous CIS estimates that pegged the state’s undocumented population at 579,000 in 2007. That translates into a drop between 17 percent and 25 percent. The new CIS report dovetails with other immigration studies showing Arizona’s undocumented population on the decline. The recession has bled construction, service and hospitality jobs leading some immigrant workers — legal and illegal — to try other U.S. job markets. Immigration raids by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio as well as state laws aimed at employers that hire undocumented workers and requiring police to ask about immigration status also prompted some illegal immigrants to exit the state. The CIS report estimates there are between 10.5 million and 11.5 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. California has the most undocumented immigrants with as many as 2.8 million persons followed by Texas (2 million) and Florida (664,000). Arizona has the seventh highest number, just behind Georgia at 496,000. Those numbers are based on U.S. Census Bureau data.">The CIS report estimates there are between 10.5 million and 11.5 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. California has the most undocumented immigrants with as many as 2.8 million persons followed by Texas (2 million) and Florida (664,000).

Arizona has the seventh highest number, just behind Georgia at 496,000. Those numbers are based on U.S. Census Bureau data.

Illegal immigrant population
State / 2007 / current estimate
Arizona / 579,000 / 479,000
California / 2.8 million / 2.8 million
Nevada / 160,000 / 237,000
Texas / 1.7 million / 2 million
Washington / 277,000 / 385,000
Colorado / 170,000 / 167,000
U.S. / 11.3 million / 11.5 million
Source: CIS

New report shows exodus of Arizona immigrants since 2007 - Phoenix Business Journal

They all are coming to HOUSTON. Houston is becoming the next great L.A. People should be very leary of even visiting there much less moving there.