Sharp increase in Latino offenders sentenced for immigration crimes [UPDATED]

10:54 AM | February 18, 2009

Driven by a sharp growth in illegal immigration and tougher enforcement, Latinos accounted for 40% of all sentenced federal offenders in 2007, according to a new study.

Among those sentenced for immigration offenses in 2007, 80% were Latino, according to the study by the Pew Hispanic Center.

Immigration offenses represented nearly one-quarter of all federal convictions during the same period, up from just 7% in 1991, the study found.

Fully 75% of Latino offenders sentenced for immigration crimes in 2007 were convicted of entering the U.S. unlawfully or residing in the country without authorization.

“There was a very sharp rise of immigration offenses as a share of all offenses,â€