Arizona Immigrant Population Reached Record High in 2005; Report Finds Almost Half of Immigrants in State Are Illegal Aliens

12/12/2005 12:47:00 PM


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To: State and City Desks

Contact: Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies, 202-466-8185, or sac@cis.org

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A new study of data not yet analyzed by the Census Bureau shows that Arizona's immigrant population reached record highs in March of 2005. The report also provides a detailed picture of the socio-economic status of immigrants nationally and in Arizona, including separate estimates for illegal aliens.

The study, entitled "Immigrants at Mid-decade: A Snapshot of America's Foreign Born Population in 2005," is available at the Center for Immigration Studies' Web site: http://www.cis.org

Among the report's findings:

-- Arizona's immigrant population reached 851,000 in March of 2005, and nearly half (46 percent) are estimated to be illegal aliens.

-- The gap between the education level of immigrants and natives in Arizona is one of the largest in the country -- 40 percent of immigrants versus 7 percent of natives have not completed high school.

-- In the state, 28 percent of immigrants (legal and illegal) and their young children live in poverty, and 58 percent live in or near poverty; both rates are more than double that of natives.

-- In Arizona, 37 percent of immigrant-headed households (legal and illegal) use at least one major welfare program, compared to 16 percent of native households. Among illegal-alien households it is estimated at 30 percent.

-- In the state, 37 percent of immigrants and their young children are uninsured, compared to 12 percent of natives. Among illegals, an estimated 65 percent are uninsured. Illegals account for almost one-third of the uninsured in the state.

-- The low educational level of many immigrants in Arizona, and resulting low wages, is the primary reason so many live in poverty, use welfare programs, or lack insurance, not their legal status or an unwillingness to work.

-- A central question for immigration policy is, should we allow in so many people with little education, which increases job competition for the poorest American workers and the size of the population needing government assistance?

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