Thread: Immigration report questioned from both sides

Last updated on: 11/30/2007 6:18:24 PM by Kara Kenney

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readleear ... 14&z=14&p=
Good Vid at same link

FORT MYERS: A new report reveals immigration is at a record high in the United States - the highest level in 80 years.

According to a report just released from the Center for Immigration Studies, one in eight U.S. residents is an immigrant.

In fact, Florida alone has seen a 16-percent increase in immigration since the year 2000. But now, some are calling the report into question.

Russ Landry, President of Citizens Against Illegal Aliens, isn't shy when it comes to his feelings on immigration. He says his mission is to close America's borders.

"It's terrible," said Landry. "Immigration is the number one problem in the United States of America. I think it's a bad thing."

The report just released from the Center for Immigration Studies revealed one in three immigrants is in the country illegally. But Landry disagrees with those numbers.

"I actually thought the numbers were too low," said Landry.

And Landry is not the only one calling the report into question.

Christina Leddin works at the Amigos Center, a non-profit organization that helps immigrants get documentation. She says immigration in Southwest Florida is actually on the decline - not on the rise, as the report says.

"What we're hearing the last few months is there's a shift of people moving away where the jobs are - some fear immigration rates," said Leddin.

She blames a sluggish housing market and poor economy for the mass exodus of immigrants.

"I think there is a good amount of people leaving the area," said Leddin.

They're heading back by the thousands to their home country and other states looking for work.

Local labor offices and food pantries say they're also seeing immigrant families struggle and say they are leaving Southwest Florida.

Despite all of this, Landry agrees with the report's finding that immigration is at an all time high.

"If this country keeps going at this pace, we're in dire straights," said Landry.

The Center for Immigration Studies collected the data for this report in March 2007 and some say a lot of immigrants have left Southwest Florida in the nine months since then.


Still, Florida has one of the fastest growing immigrant populations and is currently third when it comes to immigration.

A few years ago, I read an article, can't remember who, when, where by it stated that the movement of illegals to the US from the South is the largest human migration in the history of the world.

She blames a sluggish housing market and poor economy for the mass exodus of immigrants.

"I think there is a good amount of people leaving the area," said Leddin.

They're heading back by the thousands to their home country and other states looking for work.

Local labor offices and food pantries say they're also seeing immigrant families struggle and say they are leaving Southwest Florida.

Handy isn't it that once they've destroyed the economy they can simply go home where their loyalty lies?