Illinois, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in Illinois.  The statistics reveal Illinois’ immigrant population as being significantly poorer and less-educated than the state’s native-born population. Using the latest Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study shows a high rate of poverty with over one-third of immigrant headed households using at least one major welfare program.

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• Illinois’ Immigrants:

Illinois’ immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 15 percent (231,000) from 2000 to 2010.  Nationally the immigrant population grew percent over the same period. Immigrants (legal and illegal) accounted for 14 percent of the state residents in 2010 and 16 percent of workers in the states. Of Illinois immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 22 percent live in poverty compared to 12 percent of natives and their children.

Immigrants and their U.S.-born child (under 18) account for 18 percent of the state’s overall population and 28 percent of all persons in poverty in the state. Of Illinois immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 27 percent lack health insurance, compared to 12 percent of natives and their children (under 18).  Immigrants and their children account for 32 percent of the state’s uninsured.

Of households headed by immigrants in Illinois, 36 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 22 percent of native-headed households.

Illinois immigrants’ home ownership rate tends to be relatively high (61 percent) compared to immigrants in other states. The rate for natives in the state is 69 percent. The lower socio-economic status of Illinois’ immigrants is not because most are recent arrivals. Their average length of residence in the United States is 19 years.

One of the primary reasons immigrants in the state tend to be poor and access welfare programs at high rates is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adult with relatively low levels of education.

Of adult immigrants (25 to 65) in the state 24 percent have not completed high school, compared to 6 percent of natives. However, the share of immigrants in the state that have a bachelor’s degree (31 percent) is much closer to the 36 percent for natives.

In 2010, 23 percent of public school students in Illinois were from immigrant households.  Overall, one in four public students in the state speaks a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in Illinois:

Our best estimate is that 31 percent of Illinois immigrants are in the country illegally. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 6 percent of the state’s overall population, 13 percent those in poverty, 16 percent of the uninsured and 9 percent of the school age population.

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Washington, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in Nevada. Using the Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study reveals Nevada’s immigrant population as one of the fastest growing of the top immigrant receiving states.

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• Nevada Immigrants:

Nevada’s immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 61 percent (192,000) from 2000 to 2010. Nationally the immigrant population grew 28 percent over the same period. Immigrants accounted for 19 percent of Nevada residents in 2010, the fifth largest share in the country. Immigrants are 23 percent of workers in the state.

Of Nevada immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 20 percent live in poverty compared to 13 percent of natives and their children. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 25 percent of the state’s overall population and 34 percent of all persons in poverty.

Of Nevada immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 31 percent lack health insurance, compared to 18 percent of natives and their children (under 18).  Immigrants and their children account for 37 percent of those without insurance in the state.

Nevada immigrants’ home ownership rate of 53 percent is similar to the 58 percent for natives. Of households headed by immigrants in Nevada, 25 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 18 percent of native-headed households.

The lower socio-economic status of Nevada’s immigrants relative to natives is not because most are recent arrivals. Their average length of residence in the United States is 20 years. One of the primary reasons immigrants in the state tend to be poor than natives is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adults with relatively low levels of education.

Of adult immigrants (25 to 65) in the state 30 percent have not completed high school, compared to 7 percent of natives. The share of immigrants in the state with at least a bachelor’s degree (21 percent) is lower than the 27 percent of natives.

In 2010, more than one third of public school students in Nevada were from immigrant households. Overall, 34 percent of public school students in the state speak a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in Nevada:

Our best estimate is that slightly less than half of Nevada immigrants are in the country illegally. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 12 percent of the state’s overall population, 20 percent those in poverty, 24 percent of the uninsured and 22 percent of the school age population.

Image Courtesy of   spirit of america / Shutterstock.com

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Washington, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in Florida. Florida has the fourth largest immigrant population in the country. Using the latest Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study shows Florida’s immigrants tend to be poorer than the state’s native-born.

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• Florida’s Immigrants:

Florida’s immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 37 percent (1 million) from 2000 to 2010. Nationally the immigrant population grew 28 percent over the same period.

Immigrants accounted for 19 percent of Florida residents in 2010, the fourth largest share in the country. Immigrants are 22 percent of workers in the state.

Of Florida immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 21 percent live in poverty compared to 14 percent of natives and their children. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 23 percent of the state’s overall population and 31 percent of all persons in poverty.

Of households headed by immigrants in Florida, 31 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 20 percent of native-headed households.

Of Florida immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 34 percent lack health insurance, compared to 18 percent of natives and their children (under 18). Immigrants and their children account for 36 percent of those without insurance in the state. Florida immigrants’ home ownership rate is 61 percent, compared to 70 percent for natives.

The lower socio-economic status of Florida’s immigrants is not because most are recent arrivals. Their average length of residence in the United States is 20 years.

One of the primary reasons immigrants in the state tend to be poorer than natives is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adults with relatively low levels of education.

Of adult immigrants (25 to 65) in the state 16 percent have not completed high school, compared to 7 percent of natives. However, the share of immigrants in the state with at least a bachelor’s degree (30 percent) is similar to that of natives — 32 percent.

In 2010, more than one in four public school students in Florida were from immigrant households. Overall, 29 percent of public school students in the state speak a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in Florida:

Our best estimate is that slightly more than one-sixth of Florida immigrants are in the country illegally. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 4 percent of the state’s overall population, 9 percent those in poverty, 11 percent of the uninsured and 8 percent of the school age population.

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Washington, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in Washington State. Washington has the nation’s 10th largest immigrant population. Using the latest Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study reveals that the state’s immigrants are significantly poorer and less-educated than the native-born population.

“There is considerable concern in this country about issues like poverty and the large uninsured population.  But what has generally not been acknowledged is the impact of immigration on these problems,” notes Steven Camarota, the Center’s Director of Research. “Absent a change in policy, 11 to 15 million new immigrants are likely to settle in this country in the next decade and may further exacerbate present problems.”

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• Washington’s Immigrants:

Washington’s immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 44 percent (272,000) from 2000 to 2010. Nationally the immigrant population grew 28 percent over the same period.

Immigrants (legal and illegal) accounted for 13 percent of the state residents in 2010 and 17 percent of workers in the states.

Of Washington immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 20 percent live in poverty compared to 10 percent of natives and their children.

Immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 18 percent of the state’s overall population and 30 percent of all persons in poverty.

Of Washington immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 22 percent lack health insurance, compared to 12 percent of natives and their children (under 18).  Immigrants and their children account for 29 percent of the state’s uninsured.

Of households headed by immigrants in Washington, 40 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 21 percent of native-headed households. Although they tend to be significantly poorer than natives, homeownership is relatively high among Washington’s immigrants (55 percent), compared to 65 percent for natives. The lower socio-economic status of Washington’s immigrants is not because most are recent arrivals. Their average length of residence in the United States is 18 years.

One of the primary reasons immigrants in the state tend to be poor and access welfare programs at high rates is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adults with relatively low levels of education.

Of adult immigrants (25 to 65) in the state 22 percent have not completed high school, compared to 4 percent of natives. However, the share of immigrants in the state that have a bachelor’s degree matches that of natives —34 percent.

In 2010, 23 percent of public school students in Washington were from immigrant households. Overall, 23 percent of public students in the state speak a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in Washington:

Our best estimate is that 40 percent of Washington immigrants are in the country illegally. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 7 percent of the state’s overall population, 12 percent those in poverty, 18 percent of the uninsured and 9 percent of the school age population, 5 to 17 years of age.

• National Figures:

The number of immigrants (legal & illegal) in the country hit a new record of 40 million in 2010, a 28 percent increase over the total in 2000. Immigrants (legal and illegal) account for 16 percent of all workers in the country.

In 2010, 23 percent of immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) lived in poverty, compared to 13.5 percent of natives and their children. Immigrants and their children accounted for one-fourth of all persons in poverty in the United States.

Immigrants make significant progress the longer they live in the country. However, even immigrants who have lived in the United States for 20 years have not come close to closing the gap with natives.

The poverty rate of adult immigrants who have lived in the United States for 20 years is 50 percent higher than that of adult natives. The share of households headed by an immigrant who has lived in the United States for 20 years using one or more welfare programs is nearly twice that of native-headed households.

The share of households headed by an immigrant who has lived in the United States for 20 years that are owner occupied is 22 percent lower than that of native households.

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Washington, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in Georgia.  Of the top immigrant receiving states, Georgia’ immigrant population is one of the fastest growing in the country. Using the latest Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study reveals a high rate of poverty with a corresponding high use of welfare.

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• Georgia’s Immigrants:

Georgia’s immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 63 percent from 2000 to 2010. Nationally the immigrant population grew 28 percent over the same period.

Immigrants account for 10 percent of Georgia residents in 2010, the highest level ever recorded by the Census Bureau for the state. Immigrants are 13 percent of workers in the state. Of Georgia immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 25 percent live in poverty compared to 18 percent of natives and their children.

Of Georgia immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 37 percent lack health insurance, compared to 18 percent of natives and their children (under 18).  Immigrants and their children account for 22 percent of those without insurance in the state.

Georgia immigrants’ home ownership is 56 percent, compared to 67 percent for natives.

Of households headed by immigrants in Georgia, 30 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 24 percent of native-headed households. One of the primary reasons a larger share of immigrants than natives in the state are poor is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adults with relatively low levels of education.

Of adult immigrants (25 to 65) in the state 26 percent have not completed high school, compared to 8 percent of natives.

However, the share of immigrants in the state with at least a bachelor’s degree (30 percent) is similar to the 33 percent for natives.

In 2010, 17 percent of students in Georgia public schools were from immigrant households. Overall, one in seven public school students in the state speaks a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in Georgia:

Our best estimate is that more than half of the immigrants in Georgia are in the country illegally. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for seven percent of the state’s overall population, 12 percent of those in poverty, 16 percent of the uninsured and 8 percent of the school age population, 5 to 17.

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Washington, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in Texas. Using the latest Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study reveals Texas’ immigrant population as one of the largest, fastest growing and poorest of the top immigrant receiving states.

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• Texas Immigrants:

Texas’s immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 43 percent from 2000 to 2010. Nationally the immigrant population grew 28 percent over the same period.

The immigrant population in the state stood at 4.1 million, up 1.5 million in the last decade. Immigrants account for one out of six Texas residents in 2010, the highest level ever recorded by the Census Bureau. Immigrants account for 20 percent of workers in the state.

Of Texas immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 28 percent live in poverty compared to 15 percent of natives and their children. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 23 percent of the state’s overall population and 36 percent of all persons in poverty.

Of Texas immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) 41 percent lack health insurance, compared to 21 percent of natives and their children. Immigrants and their children account for 37 percent of those without insurance in the state.

While a large share of Texas immigrants have low incomes, their rate of home ownership (58 percent) tends to be relatively high both compared to natives (65 percent) and relative to immigrants in other states.

Of households headed by immigrants in Texas, 45 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 24 percent of native-headed households.

The lower socio-economic status of Texas’ immigrants is not because most are recent arrivals. Their average length of residence in the United States is 18 years.

One of the primary reasons so many immigrants in Texas are poor, lack health insurance and access the welfare system is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adults with relatively low levels of education.

Of the top immigrant receiving states, Texas immigrants are among the least educated— 46 percent of adult immigrants in the state have not completed high school, compared to 10 percent of natives.

The share of immigrants (25 to 65) in the state that have a bachelor’s degree is 21 percent compared to 30 percent of natives. In 2010, 31 percent of students in Texas public school were from immigrant households.  Overall 37 percent of public school students speak a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in Texas:

Our best estimate is that slightly less than half of the immigrants in Texas are in the country illegally. They comprised one in ten workers in the state. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for ten percent of the state’s overall population and one-fifth of those in poverty, one-fourth of the uninsured and one seventh of the school age population, 5 to 17.

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Washington, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in New Jersey. Using the latest Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study reveals that New Jersey’s immigrants tend to be more prosperous and better-educated than the population in other top immigrant receiving states. However, they lag behind natives in the state in most measures of economic well-being. As a result they comprise a very large share of the state’s poor and uninsured.

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• New Jersey’s Immigrants:

New Jersey’s immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 25 percent (368,000) from 2000 to 2010. Nationally the immigrant population grew 28 percent over the same period. Immigrants accounted for 21 percent of New Jersey residents in 2010, the third highest of any state. Immigrants are 28 percent of workers in the state.

Of New Jersey immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 13 percent live in poverty compared to 9 percent of natives and their children. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 28 percent of the state’s overall population and 37 percent of all persons in poverty.

Of New Jersey immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 29 percent lack health insurance, compared to 11 percent of natives and their children (under 18). Immigrants and their children account for 51 percent of those without insurance in the state.

New Jersey immigrants’ home ownership rate is 54 percent, compared to 70 percent for natives.

Of households headed by immigrants in New Jersey, 26 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 17 percent of native-headed households. The lower socio-economic status of New Jersey’s immigrants is not because most are recent arrivals. Their average length of residence in the United States is 19 years.

One of the primary reasons so many immigrants in the state are poor and access the welfare system is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adults with relatively low levels of education.

Of adult immigrants (25 to 65) in the state 19 percent have not completed high school, compared to 4 percent of natives. The share of immigrants in the state with at least a bachelor’s degree is 34 percent compared to 41 percent for natives.

In 2010, 30 percent of students in New Jersey public schools were from immigrant households. Overall, 29 percent of public school students in the state speak a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in New Jersey:

Our best estimate is that about one-fifth of New Jersey’s immigrants are in the country illegally. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 6 percent of the state’s overall population, 14 percent those in poverty, 21 percent of the uninsured and 9 percent of the school age population, ages 5 to 17.

Image Courtesy of  Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com

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The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), focusing on constitutional law, is urging a federal appeals court to uphold Alabama’s immigration law saying the measure “mirrors federal immigration provisions” and warns that if the Obama Administration challenge to the Alabama law succeeds, states will be effectively rendered “powerless over unchecked illegal immigration and the associated social and economic costs that their citizens must bear.”

“This is fast becoming one of the most important issues for the American people,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ. “This latest case underscores the growing clash between the federal government and the rights of states.

The fact is many states are doing what Alabama and Arizona already have done – enacting laws that promote Congressional immigration policy by enforcing the very laws that the Obama Administration fails to enforce. We contend the Alabama measure impedes no federal law and is actually consistent with federal immigration policy that promotes increasingly greater roles for states in enforcing immigration law.”

The ACLJ filed an amicus brief yesterday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, backingAlabama’s HB 56.

The brief, posted here, argues:

“The Administration’s attack on HB 56 undermines federalist and separation of powers principles by permitting the Administration’s policy preferences to trump Congress’s statutory acknowledgement that states have inherent authority to enforce laws that profoundly affect their citizens’ welfare. A decision sustaining the Administration’s claims will effectively leave the states powerless over unchecked illegal immigration and the associated social and economic costs that their citizens must bear.”

The Alabama appeal comes as the Supreme Court has decided to hear a challenge to Arizona’s immigration measure, SB 1070. The ACLJ, representing 59 members of Congress and nearly 60,000 Americans, filed an amicus brief urging the high court to take the case arguing the Arizona measure, like the one in Alabama, is constitutional because it mirrors federal immigration law and incorporates federal standards.

The ACLJ is now preparing an amicus brief in support of the Arizona measure to be filed with the Supreme Court, which is expected to hear oral arguments in the case this spring.

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice focuses on constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C.  The ACLJ is online at www.aclj.org.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com

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Illegal immigration was the fastest growing federal arrest offense between 2005 and 2009, increasing an average rate of 23 percent each year, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. In 2009, 84,749 suspects were arrested and booked for immigration offenses, up from 38,041 in 2005.

A federal arrest is a formal charge of violating federal law. Persons who were apprehended, detained, released or deported without a formal arrest charge were not included in the number of federal suspects arrested and processed.

During 2009, a record 183,986 suspects were arrested for federal offenses, up from 140,200 in 2005 and nearly double the 83,324 suspects arrested in 1995. Illegal immigration (46 percent) was the most common offense at arrest in 2009, followed by drug (17 percent) and supervision (13 percent) violations.

More than half (56 percent) of all federal arrests occurred in the five federal judicial districts along the U.S.-Mexico border: Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Western and Southern Texas. The federal caseload handled in these five districts in 2009 comprised more than a third of all federal defendants prosecuted (35 percent), convicted (35 percent) and sentenced to prison (37 percent).

Most federal defendants (77 percent) in cases terminated in 2009 had been detained prior to case disposition. Defendants were most likely to be detained when charged with immigration (95 percent), violent crime (87 percent), weapons (82 percent), and drug (81 percent) offenses. About 88 percent of defendants charged in the five judicial districts along the U.S.-Mexico border were detained in 2009.

Of the 193,234 matters concluded by U.S. attorneys in 2009, two out of three involved immigration (46 percent) or drug (20 percent) offenses. Immigration matters concluded increased an annual average of 31 percent since 2005, while drug matters declined an annual average of 1.4 percent.

About 48 percent of suspects in matters concluded were prosecuted by U.S. attorneys in 2009, compared to 60 percent of suspects in 2005. One reason for the decrease in prosecution by U.S. attorneys is the growth in immigration matters disposed by U.S. magistrates. About 67 percent of immigration offenders were disposed by U.S. magistrates in 2009, up from 46 percent in 2005.

Of the 95,000 federal cases concluded in 2009, 40 percent were represented by a public defender (up from 22 percent in 1995), 36 percent by a panel-appointed attorney (up from 32 percent in 1995) and 21 percent by a private attorney (down from 37 percent in 1995). Among cases terminated with a public defender in 2009, nearly 49 percent involved immigration offenses.

About 95,900 federal defendants were adjudicated in 2009, and most were convicted following a guilty plea (88 percent) or a bench or jury trial (3 percent). The median time from case filing to disposition was 6.5 months in 2009.

More than three-quarters (78 percent) of convicted defendants were sentenced to prison in 2009. The average prison term imposed on federal offenders in 2009 was 57 months, down from 61 months in 2005. Prison sentences in 2009 were an average of 82 months for drug offenses, compared to 113 months for violent offenses and 87 months for weapons offenses.

At year-end 2009, 393,810 persons were under some form of federal supervision. Of these, 62 percent were in secure confinement and 38 percent were in the community. Of offenders under active federal post-conviction supervision in the community, the majority of offenders (98,465) were on supervised release, compared to probation (22,748) and parole (2,158).

The number of federal prisoners age 55 and older nearly doubled, from 8,221 in 2000 to 15,323 in 2009. The median age of prisoners increased from age 35 in 2000 to age 37 in 2009. Most federal prisoners in 2009 were male (93 percent), black non-Hispanic (37 percent), and U.S. citizens (74 percent).

The reports, Federal Justice Statistics, 2009 and Federal Justice Statistics, 2009 – Statistical Tables, were written by BJS statistician Mark Motivans. The reports, related documents and additional information about the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ statistical publications and programs can be found on the BJS website at http://www.bjs.gov/.

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Another intense GOP debate took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, that aimed at giving the nation another opportunity to get to know the candidates and their positions on certain topics. Throughout the night, finger-pointing was prevalent, especially surrounding the topic of illegal immigration.

As in past debates, illegal immigration was a significant topic of focus, but it was not only directed at Rick Perry.  Instead, every candidate got a chance to voice their opinion.  Perry has faced criticism over his previous policies on immigration, such as putting in place “magnets” that attract illegal immigrants.

During the Las Vegas debate, Perry turned the attention over to Romney’s lack of enforcement on illegal immigration.  He started quite a quarrel when he brought up Romney’s personal record on the subject. He stated, “Mitt, you lose all of your standing, from my perspective, because you hired illegals in your home, and you knew about it for a year.

And the idea that you stand here before us and talk about how you’re strong on immigration is, on its face, the height of hypocrisy.”  Romney responded that his lawn care service had illegal immigrants working for them, but were let go once he found out. Romney also proposed, as president, to set up an E-Verify System in which employers must check if their workers are legal and if their documents are real.

The other candidates have also had responses to immigration that have been voiced over the past few weeks, one being Herman Cain’s “electric fence” idea.  Herman Cain, who is now taking the lead in many polls, was asked about his idea of building an electric fence along the entire border of Mexico.

While receiving a few laughs, he responded, “Allow me to give a serious answer. Yes, I believe we should secure the border for real, and it would be a combination of a fence, technology, as well as possibly boots on the ground, for some of the more dangerous areas.”

Michele Bachmann also agreed with the idea of a fence and was the first candidate to sign a pledge that would build a double-wedged fence across the border. Rick Perry is opposed to building a fence in his home state of Texas, because he has explained that it would take 10-15 years as well as $30 billion.

Bachmann pointed out the long-term solution of spending money to build a fence now, instead of continuing to have an open border, by stating, “Every year, it costs this country $113 billion in the costs that we put out to pay for illegal aliens. It costs the state and local government of that amount $82 billion.”

Ron Paul also responded to border patrol and illegal immigration by saying that the border lacks resources because they are instead being utilized overseas. “We worry more about the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.  We need to bring the guard units home and the units back here, so we can have more personnel on our borders.”

Immigration continues to be a topic of debate as well as an issue the entire country faces, but what the nation thinks about each candidate’s plans is still to come.

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Immigrants have often been discriminated against in the United States.  Never more clearly seen is this than in immigration court.

Immigration court in the United States, unfortunately, is no different.  Locking up “undocumented” aliens for months, treating them as untouchables, and not helping them understand the legal system is all just part of the game.  Americans may claim equality while really endorsing an ancient caste-like system where immigrants and people that are poor make up the bottom two rungs.  Many immigrants sit in jail or are required to put their lives on hold for 11 months or more while awaiting deportation.  The judges that work immigration court are protected by an obscure agency.  As long as adjudicators process a high volume of cases, the agency will ignore and even cover up serious misconduct, including deportations of US citizens or people who have other avenues of relief.  Due process is not a concern for immigration court.  Often times, immigrants are present at hearings without a lawyer or a translator.  They are confused about the process as most of us would be.

The national backlog has grown by 40 percent since 2008.  The number of immigration cases awaiting resolution reached an all-time national high of 261,083 in fiscal year 2010, which ended on September 30. Partly to blame is the Secure Communities, a new federal program that requires local law enforcement officers to send fingerprints of everyone booked into jail to the Department of Homeland Security, which then compares the fingerprints to others  in its databases. If officials find that the suspect is in the country illegally, or is a noncitizen with a criminal record, they may pursue deportation.  Federal officials say the program will protect the public and streamline enforcement efforts. But critics protest that it will sweep up immigrants who have not been convicted of or even charged with serious crimes, and will discourage immigrants from going to the police as victims or witnesses, for fear of deportation.

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records obtained by the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network through a Freedom of Information Act request, 79 percent of individuals deported through the Secure Communities program from October 2008 through June 2010 had no criminal record or were arrested for minor offenses like traffic violations.  “The Department of Homeland Security can inform the local enforcement agency that they should not release that person, even if there are no charges or the charges have been dropped, so that they can start deportation proceedings,” said Angela Fernandez, executive director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights.

Undocumented immigrants may be a convenient scapegoat, but we need to exercise caution.  The United States still operates as being some champion for human rights.  Deporting our own citizens is not a way to demonstrate any type of great civil rights.  Despite how the United States tries to dehumanize immigrants, they are still people.  And, whether they are here illegally or not, deportation is a very traumatic event, causing disruption in the life of the deported, their families, and their friends.  We have to make sure that deportation is warranted and that the immigrant can understand what is happening.

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Over the years, certain immigrants have always been targeted as scapegoats in America. Ben Franklin thought Germans should not be allowed into the country because of their “swarthy complexion.” Catholics were not well received because they only listen to the pope. Irish were not popular and thought to be just a small step above African Americans.  Southern and Eastern Europeans were hated and prompted the quota laws to be passed. Italians were thought to be violent. Only a small number of Jewish people were allowed into our country even during the Holocaust because of our ongoing xenophobia. We have discriminated against almost all Asians at one point or another because of fears. Our latest target is Mexicans and anyone that looks Hispanic. Although the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, they have always been very selective of who is okay.

The current fear mongering with Latinos is not justifiable.   Every year or so, illegal immigration gets brought up and spun around on all the media outlets by all sorts of politicians but for no good reason. Since 9/11 and the major recession, immigration to the United States is down.   Most undocumented immigrants do not become permanent residents. They come to the U.S. to be with family or to work. They stay a few years and leave.  It doesn’t sound so bad.  But, many people in America still feel that immigration is a problem.

Anti-immigration activist believe that immigrants sneaking over the border are more likely to take part in criminal activities.  It is unclear why someone would take all that time and energy to sneak over a border to get caught for a crime and be deported when they could be criminals in their own country.  Research also indicates that undocumented citizens are not more likely to engage in crime than natural citizens. The exact numbers vary but native born Americans are between 5 and 10 times more likely to be incarcerated than immigrants. In Arizona, state senators used crime to justify their “papers, please” legislation.  The lawmakers claimed that crime in Arizona had increased.  However, crime rates in Arizona have steadily decreased since 2006 for both violent and property crime.  Another reason anti-immigration activists want to seal the American borders is because of the economy.  They claim that undocumented immigrants are not paying taxes and draining the social services.  This again is false.  Immigrants contribute as much as $10 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Legalization of low skilled immigrant workers in the U.S. would result in a net increase in the U.S. GDP of $180 billion over the next ten years. Immigrants, legal and illegal alike, spend their money in the U.S. which is good for the economy.  Most immigrants come to U.S. for jobs so they are working and not using social services. Many are too afraid of deportation to take advantage of any programs even if they needed it.  Others against immigration worry about overpopulation.  They claim that with more and more undocumented immigrants, the public school system will be overwhelmed.  Yet, the U.S. continues to push fertility drugs, glorify families like the Duggars, and many want to outlaw abortion, so it cannot be a concern for overpopulation.

As the state of Arizona pushes a slew of more anti-immigration measures through, you can be sure that immigration fears are alive and well in the U.S.  However, the Hispanic community re-elected Senator Harry Reid during last midterm elections so they might not be such a good scapegoat any longer.

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The Arizona State Senator responsible for last year’s controversial “Papers, please” legislation continues to push forward anti-immigration laws despite the backlash from his previous attempt.  Republican Russell Pearce has proposed two more far-reaching measures to punish undocumented immigrants in his state.

In his first measure, children of undocumented immigrants would no longer be allowed to attend K-12 public schools.  The bill would ask school administrators to turn in families that did not provide citizenship papers.  That is not all.  The legislation would also prohibit undocumented immigrants from attending community colleges and universities.  Currently, students without citizenship or legal resident status are able to attend college, but they must pay out-of-state costs. The measure would also impose strict penalties on undocumented drivers — including seizing and selling their cars. Arizona already denies driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, but this bill would increase the penalties, including requiring a 30-day jail sentence for those driving without proof of legal residence.  Pearce’s other bill would deny citizenship to children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants.

The measures seem destined for constitutionality challenges and that may be their intended design.  The outlandish bills are likely being put forward to draw legal challenges in hopes that the Supreme Court might rule in the state’s favor. Pearce is reportedly planning on a run for the U.S. Congress in 2012, and this proposed legislation has certainly thrust his name into the national spotlight.  “This is clean-up,” Pearce told reporters. “All it does is do what the voters have passed in terms of no taxpayer dollars for illegals. It just ties it up.”  Pearce also called the influx of undocumented immigrants, an “invasion.”   “If you are ever going to stop this invasion, and it is an invasion, you have to quit rewarding people for breaking those laws,” he said.

Immigration advocates are horrified at the proposed legislation from Sen. Pearce.  “What [Pearce] wants to do is deter people through attrition so they will leave Arizona,” attorney Jose Penalosa, who works with Somos Republicanos, told the Huffington Post. “He’s attacking it at the heart of the issue, which is children. He’s kidnapping kids.”

Meanwhile, the “Papers, please” law is being challenged by the Obama administration in federal court.

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House Republicans have introduced a bill designed to crack down on “illegal” immigration.  House immigration subcommittee chairman Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) said last month that he will introduce a bill within the next month to mandate the use of an illegal-worker detection system, E-Verify.  The detection system is already mandatory for government agencies and contractors.  It is also used voluntarily by nearly 250,000 businesses to check the legal status of potential hires, however critics say to make E-Verify mandatory would severely hurt U.S. agriculture by depriving farmers of cheap labor.

Gallegly believes that by making E-Verify a requirement for all businesses, it would force all the undocumented workers out of the country.  “If there was ever a need to do something quickly, when we have 14 million Americans who aren’t working today, I think they deserve to be put in the front of the line,” the California Republican said at a hearing on the use of E-Verify.

Farm owners maintain that very few U.S. citizens want the types of jobs taken by undocumented workers.  The jobs are usually low-paying and backbreaking work such as fruit-picking.  Last year, a drive by United Farm Workers called “Take Our Jobs” and promoted by Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert seemed to highlight that claim–few Americans will work agricultural jobs, even with record high unemployment.

David Cox, the chief executive of a California fruit-growing company, said he has hired a few naturalized Americans, but some quit almost immediately and others said they plan to leave as soon as they can find another job.  “As the economy improves, there will be much fewer to do this kind of work,” Cox maintains.   “If E-Verify became mandatory, we would lose most of our workforce overnight.”

Although designed to promote the economy, many experts feel this bill will likely hurt the economy, driving food prices even higher and increasing the demand for cheaper imported food.  “Pressing harder on the gas without fixing the vehicle will only hurt our economy,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the immigration subcommittee, said.  “Particularly in agriculture, mandating the use of E-Verify would reverse the polarity of the magnet, shipping millions of jobs overseas.”

It would also be expensive to implement.  Bloomberg News Service estimated it would cost small businesses $2.6 billion annually to apply E-Verify if it became mandatory.  Another problem is that Immigration and Customs can only deport so many people a year.  They do not have the resources to deport the amount of people that may need to be if E-Verify became mandatory.

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Through the centuries immigration has been a major source to the United States’ growth and development. But it has been also, and it is still, a source of controversy and conflict.

One of the biggest problems tied to immigration in US is the large number of illegal immigrants which outnumbered the legals one. A 2011 survey showed that the illegal immigrants living in the United States in 2010 were about 11.2 million – a number essentially unchanged from the previous year -.

In the controversy about this fundamental issue, either Democrats and Republicans agreed over the years on the need to make changes to the federal immigration laws to face this problem. But essentially just in 2010, after the passage of a new immigration bill in Arizona, the need of a reform in this field has came back to light and has become the subject of discussion.

The Arizona immigration bill, the toughest of the nation about illegal immigration, was signed on April 2010.It required state and local police officers to inquire about the immigration status of anyone they stop if they have a “reasonable suspicion” the person is an illegal It also makes it a state crime to not carry immigration papers. One day before to take effect, in July 28th, the bill was blocked by a judge who asserted the primary authority of the federal government over state lawmakers in immigration matters.

The bill was strongly criticized by President Obama who declared that it threatened “to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”

Analysing the strategy of the Obama administration in matter of illegal immigration, it is clear that he is pursuing the programs started by the former President Bush administration, despite initially he pledged he would had moderated his predecessor ‘s policies.

Starting from the Bush administration’s policies Mr. Obama expanded a program to verify workers immigration status, replacing immigration raids at factories and farms with a different enforcement strategy sending federal agents to check companies’ records searching for illegal immigrant workers.

These kinds of audits don’t lead to the deportation of the illegal immigrants workers as in the past, but these are being usually fired. Since the beginning of this practice in 2009 thousands of suspected illegal immigrants workers have been fired.

The aim of this policy is to prevent future illegal immigration discouraging the employers to hire illegal immigrants and the immigrants to not cross the borders illegally being conscious of the difficulty of finding a job in those conditions. The effects of the enforcement of this strategy are evident mostly on the Mexican illegal immigration which seems to be reducing. Mexicans – that are the largest group of illegal immigrants – are delaying in crossing the United States borders illegally because of the current situation of low possibilities to find jobs, a considerable decline has been shown by the Mexican Government’s census data.

According to the Department of Homeland Security officials, in each of the last two years the number of immigrants who were deported is the highest in the country’s history, about 400,000.

Over the last months many states government all around US started advancing legislation proposals inspired to Arizona’s bill, with the aim to crack down on the illegal immigration penalizing the illegal immigrants. Mostly in the states under Republican control, this fact is due to the lack of consensus recorded by the Congress.

The debate on toughening up on strategies against illegal immigrants is stirring also the states that have usually been tolerant, that are proposing tougher measures in matter of illegal immigration.

The purpose is to make life so difficult for illegal immigrants to push them to go back to their own countries. As never before since 2006 the possibilities of these laws to be passed appear so high. Perhaps is something changing in the Americans’ attitudes toward immigrants or it is just a political manoeuvre? We will see if the 2012 elections would make reach a turning point on this issue.

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Shawna Forde, an anti-immigration extremist, was sentenced to death for killing a 9-year old girl and her father in an Arizona courtroom.  Shawna Forde was a member of the Minutemen, a group which patrols the southern border vigilante-style to detect illegal entry into the country.

On the day of the murder, Forde and two accomplices entered a home belonging to the Flores family, allegedly looking for a million-dollar drug stash in order to fund the Minutemen.  No drugs were found and Forde only made off with Gonzalez’s wedding ring and a few of the family’s other possessions.   During the raid, the minutemen shot Raul Flores and Gina Gonzales.  While Gonzales lay on the floor, pretending to be dead, Brisenia Flores, their nine-year old daughter, said, “Please don’t shoot me,” before being shot twice in the head.

Forde’s alleged accomplices, Albert Robert Gaxiola and Jason Eugene Bush, still await trial.

The Daily Beast’s Terry Greene Sterling talked to Shawna Forde in jail, who still believes she is innocent.  “I know in her mind,” Forde said of Gonzalez, “I am guilty and she hates me. I know her tragedy is extremely sad.” But on the other hand, she said “people shouldn’t deal drugs if they have kids.” (No drugs were found in the trailer.) Forde said in the interview that she “lost a daughter” and she knows from experience Gonzalez will feel pain “the rest of her life” and her “tragedy is extremely sad.” “I wish I could say I was sorry it happened,” Forde said. “I am not sorry on my behalf because I didn’t do it.”

Forde wanted to testify on her behalf but her attorneys convinced her otherwise.  She has a long history of ties to right-wing nativist groups like the tea party and the Federation for American Immigration Reform. All have since tried to distance themselves from her.  Despite her history with anti-immigration groups, the crime was not designated a hate crime.  Immigration advocates pointed out the connection between Forde’s radical beliefs and her crime.  Presente.org, a Latino activism group encouraged the media “to be socially responsible by reporting the linkages between Forde’s proven extremism and that of extremist groups she represents.”

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A state representative in Texas has proposed an anti-immigration bill that has received national attention.  House Bill 1202, authored by Republican state Rep. Debbie Riddle would make tough state punishments for those who “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” hire an unauthorized immigrant. Violators could face up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

The proposed legislation is not very surprising given the anti-immigrant fervor that has swept part of the nation, especially in the border states.  The bill has one major exception that has propelled it into the national spotlight.  Those who hire undocumented workers would be in violation of the law — UNLESS they are hiring a maid, a lawn caretaker or another house worker.  The legislation would protect those who hire unauthorized immigrants “for the purpose of obtaining labor or other work to be performed exclusively or primarily at a single-family residence.”

Many Republicans in the state House defend the large exception.  Texas state Rep. Aaron Pena, a Republican, said the exception is a wise one.  “With things as they are today, her bill will see a large segment of the Texas population in prison” if it passes without the exception, he said.  “When it comes to household employees or yard workers it is extremely common for Texans to hire people who are likely undocumented workers,” Pena said. “It is so common it is overlooked.”

Riddle’s chief of staff, Jon English told the Texas Tribune that the exception was to avoid “stifling the economic engine” in Texas.  “It is an admittedly clumsy first attempt to say, ‘We are really focusing on the big businesses,’” English said.  Texans shouldn’t be punished for hiring lawn care companies who hire unauthorized immigrants, he said, according to the Texas Tribune’s website.

Leo Berman, a Republican state representative, has filed a number of additional immigration-related bills this legislative session.  One proposed bill would make English the official language of Texas, a move that would save millions in printing costs, according to Berman.  The law wouldn’t affect schools or ballots, he added.  Another proposed bill would place an 8 percent surcharge on all money wired from Texas to Latin America.  About $480 million could be collected from money sent to Mexico alone, Berman said.  A third bill would require police officers to ask every person they stop what their citizenship status is, similar to the controversial “papers please” law in Arizona.

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Lampedusa is a small Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea with a population of roughly 4.000 people. Their local economy is mainly based on tourism and fishing industry and from a general European perspective, the island is just like any other peaceful holiday retreat. From the coast of North Africa however – it is the gateway to a better life. Jette Elbaek Maressa reported to the Danish newspaper Jyllands-posten about the surge in illegal immigration from political hotspots in the Middle East.

The road through Lampedusa has become one of the popular options for refugees to illegally enter Europe. On a daily basis, the Island’s inhabitants witness the motley fishing boats reach their port while heavily armed Italian police guards are waiting to greet the new arrivals. After severe protests on behalf of the Islanders, the Italian government has stepped up its effort to protect the vulnerable outpost who’s tourist industry has taken a hit since the refugee boats started to arrive.

Thousands of young Tunisians have already ventured the sea in their pursuit for jobs and prosperity. The dream takes little more than a boat and a gallon of gas and the chance that many more will follow has got the Italian government raising alarm in the EU. They believe the political unrest in the Middle East, combined with the high unemployment rate among the younger population, will inspire a mass immigration through the risky sea channel. And for the Island community on Lampedusa, it could cripple their livelihood.

The question is: Why is the youth of North Africa leaving? The scarcity of jobs is quoted as a major reason with youth-unemployment rates currently around 25% in Egypt and 30% in Tunisia. The recent populist revolt in some parts of the Middle East against decades of dictatorship was sparked by a young man who represented the situation for many in his country, 26-year-old Muhamed Bouazizi, when he set himself on fire. However, the change of government has not in the short term produces more job opportunities. It takes a lot of patience and time before either Tunisia, Egypt or any other Middle Eastern country is ready to create even half of the 5 million jobs needed for all people in the Arabic world to be employed, according to a youth advisor from the Arab League. He explains that the journey to Europe is not an attempt to cut ties with their home of origin – rather, these young people want to earn a living abroad and return more prosperous.

The irony from a European perspective is that they too are faced with an alarming situation in their national job markets. In comparison, the south of Italy is experiencing 30% youth-unemployment, Britain has 20% while young people in Spain are dealing with 40%. While Italy whines over the around 5.000 illegal immigrant from Lampedusa and asks the rest of the EU for help, Frontex informs that 90% of all illegal immigration is done at the borders of Turkey and Greece. Others use the route through Spain via the Canary Islands and Morocco. Sweden has even been vocal in this debate, explaining that they have 32.000 asylum cases every year – for a country of only 9 million people.

Back in Lampedusa, the coast guards continue to inspect the sea towards the African coast. They know what some of the young refugees don’t: That Europe is no paradise and that the only people who really benefit from the boat trips are the traffickers who organize the dangerous journey. It is just too late to tell them when they arrive.

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