1.3 million illegal immigrants have left the United States

Image...
Some 1.3 million illegal immigrants have left the United States since Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform in the summer of 2007. If the trend continues, according to a new study, the nation's illegal population will drop by half in the next five yearsMoreover, reports the Center for Immigration Studies, young Hispanic immigrants began heading south before the nation's economy did – a clue that what's driving the new outmigration is a stepped-up border and workplace enforcement, not a souring US job market.

The source of the report – a think tank with a record of opposing illegal and even some legal immigration – is controversial in immigrant communities. But its findings could help frame the debate in a new Congress and a new administration.

The key conclusion is that enforcement, not the economy, is driving the decision to self-deport.

"The dropoff in illegal immigration seems to occur before there is a runup in their unemployment rate," says Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies.

But Mr. Camarota also cites evidence of a link to the discussion in Congress about a path to legalization for undocumented workers. "From May to April [2007] there is an actual uptick in the number of illegals in the country, which falls off after the legislation fails. It seems as if the discussion of legalization had some effect on the decision to come or go or both," he says.

Critics caution that little is known about a shadow workforce estimated at anywhere from 11 million to 20 million. "The problem is it's difficult to know what's causing a change like this," says Tamar Jacoby, president of ImmigrationWorks USA, an organization of employers nationwide lobbying for comprehensive immigration reform. "But the one thing we know for sure is that the country is in a deep economic downturn, if not a recession, which means there's much less need for workers, especially those providing services for the middle class
  • added July 31, 2008
  • flag
 

87 responses // 1.3 million illegal immigrants have left the United States

  •  

    lou dobbs must be thrilled...

    sgirgis72
    2 responses to this
  •  

    There's still more.

    Hope the economy (even though that's not the only reason) worsens and they go back and then when the economy evens out there is ample proof that this false idea that they are needed to do the "menial" work is blown up as a HUGE FAT LIE.

    No one's job is worthless and every single job (except for a few) are needed to keep society working. Said jobs were being done by American Citizens prior to the influx of those who are not citizens and will be again.

    People like using those who are not citizens because they are cheaper and then what? They treat them like crap. Well that's not fair. Not fair to people who are citizens and not fair to the person who should be.

    I think that people deserve more money for what they do, not less and paying less to those that deserve more is just as much stealing as an illegal (the other phrase is too long) who get tax free money---free hospital visits, housing, clothing.....

    J_Jammer
    7 responses to this
  •  

    probably more including the undocumented immigrants.

    joshuaheller
  •  

    Yeah, it's all fun and games sharing jobs with our non-English speaking neighbors to the south until you need those jobs to survive.

    Any system that isn't keeping accurate track of the people and the numbers is certainly in need of improvement.

    damnneargenius
  •  

    With 3 Million a year coming in we still have a long way to go.

    BretByron
  •  

    Allowing legal immigrants to work here is unfair to the immigrants that went through the strenuous process of coming here legally. We may be a country of immigrants but most of our forefathers did it legally. We cannot bend the rules simply because the illegal immigrants who unjustly crossed the boarder have assimilated to our society.

    Pattyhax
    2 responses to this
  •  

    looks like immigration reform never should be implemented .

    malathion
  •  

    People are too quick to forget that in one way or another everyone in this country is an immigrant, if those people who left were good hard working people then it is a shame for them to have gone, America now more than ever can use as many people putting their best foot forward as possible.

    bss05g
    8 responses to this
  •  

    If you contribute to our American society, I welcome you whether you are legal or not. But if you live here and you don't do anything that will help not only yourself and your family, but our country... you don't belong here. Pay your taxes, get an education, be civil, etc. That is what America stands for, right?

    omordn
    3 responses to this
  •  

    This new form of protest is a good way for the undocumented immigrants to show how much an influence and impact they have in the US economy.

    carlos_b
  •  

    The hard data behind this story is inconclusive - I'd like to see some reporting done on the personal stories that surround these statistics and what impact moving back to their country of origin has had on the immigrants and their families.

    Bookshepherd
    2 responses to this
  •  

    No disrespect meant, but this seems like rats leaving a sinking ship.

    Dmitri_Molotov
  •  

    Well, there is a silver lining to the declining economy after all.

    JohnA
  •  

    only 11 million left

    clayjj05
  •  

    not fast enough in my opinion. do it legally and i could care less where you are from. do it illegally and if i could I'd personally deport the lot of em

    diode
  •  

    Very interesting. Maybe with the economy turning sour, the below-minimum-wage pay that illegals usually get dropped too low for the travel and risk to be worth it.

    Elligirl
    2 responses to this
  •  

    Now, even if this is true... the illegal immigrant population definitely had more then a million kids this year.

    logicpocket
  •  

    WOAH!

    Swiyyah
  •  

    Hope they leave with increasing speed! They can't go home fast enough for me.

    butch3651
  •  

    I dont think people realize the full extent of immigration. This country, and the world, is over populating. Yes this country needs workers, but when millions of people come here, guess what they need. They need food, water, electricty, etc... and they get it from the US and so then we need more people working.

    Its not as if they come here work and its all good, by allowing tons of people in the country we increase the amount of people we need to maintain the industries, so its basically an endless cycle.

    Im fine with saying that this country needs to control illegal immigration more and let less people into this country. However I also think we need to help improve the countries these people are coming from, afterall the only usual way to fix a problem is by going at its source.

    NickerBocker09
    1 response to this
  •  

    good! we need to send a message to the employers and fine those who hire illegal aliens... look at arizona

    Dut
    • Dut
    • 11 months ago
  •  

    There's a legal way of becoming a citizen... it's worked until a few politicians decided to let it slack... there's no excuse for any other way, though. Try again.

    SonicSubculture
  •  

    1.3 million gone, 11-20 millon to go? I don't understand every thing about immigration or emmigration for that matter. But in my mind a few questions arrise.

    What are the effects of essentially dissplacing, or returning, 11-20 million people in to their countries of origin?
    Would the economy worsen or recouperate because of their absence?
    How will the famillies (children, partners, spouses etc.) created by these people cope: will they remain in the US and look for a legal way to pursue their happiness? will they opt to emmigrate along with their loved ones?
    Will their experiences in the US ( a different form of government, a different social enviroment, a different economical structure, adifferent civil structure) effect the way they mold their contries of origin?
    And in turn, how will their absence effect the US?

    voldypoo
  •  

    10 facts about immigrants (legal and illegal for that matter)

    1. They pay taxes
    2. They come to work and reunite with family members
    3. Their businesses contribute $162 billion in tax revenue
    4. They create jobs for U.S. and foreign workers
    5. They fill jobs in key sectors, start their own businesses, and contribute to the economy
    6. Within ten years of arrival, more than 75% speak English
    7. Today's immigrants are not that different than those of 100 years ago
    8. Most immigrants come to the U.S. legally
    9. Despite more strongly enforced U.S. border security, the number of undocumented immigrants has not decreased
    10. The war on terrorism cannot be won through immigration restrictions

    elegalalien8
    2 responses to this
  •  

    Dude, isnt illegal immigration basicaly like a form of modern slavery? We just used these poor people and give them no health insurance, 401 K, or anything that usually comes with a job. And we think we're better than China, what a joke.

    ctrl_alt_del
    1 response to this
12
1 - 25 of 43

Add your response

Login/Registration is required to add a response

current videos