Study says enforcement of laws working

By Eunice Moscoso
Cox Washington Bureau
Published on: 07/31/08

Washington -- Illegal immigrants are going home.

That is the conclusion of a study released Wednesday that found that stepped-up enforcement efforts are working, causing thousands of illegal immigrants to self-deport.

The population has declined 11 percent since last summer to 11.2 million from 12.5 million, according to the report by the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank that advocates lower levels of immigration.

"The evidence is powerful and consistent that enforcement is having the desired effect," said Steven Camarota, the report's main author and director of research at the center.

The study -- based on calculations made with monthly data collected by the Census Bureau -- also said that the nation's economic slowdown is partly responsible for the decline.

It predicted that the illegal immigrant population could be cut in half within five years if the current trend continues.

Rep. Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the report proves that enforcement works.

"Opponents of immigration enforcement claim that there are only two ways to address illegal immigration: amnesty or mass deportation. But there is another and better option and that is to simply enforce current laws," he said in a statement.

Immigrant advocates and business groups criticized the study. Angela Kelley, director of the Immigrant Policy Center, said it lacks hard data and has "faulty logic."

She criticized the authors for determining who are "likely" illegal immigrants by using a certain percentage of less educated, foreign-born Hispanic adults who are 18 to 40 years old. "The authors report confidently about a population that is nearly impossible to accurately measure," she said.

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