Unauthorized Aliens Residing in the United States: Estimates Since 1986
Abstract
Estimates derived from the March Supplement of the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS) indicate that the unauthorized resident alien population (commonly referred to as illegal aliens) rose from 3.2 million in 1986 to 11.9 million in 2008. Jeffrey Passel, a demographer with the Pew Hispanic Research Center, has been involved in making these estimations since he worked at the U.S. Bureau of the Census in the 1980s. The estimated number of unauthorized aliens had dropped to 1.9 million in 1988 following passage of a 1986 law that legalized several million unauthorized aliens. Steven Camarota and Karen Jensenius of the Center for Immigration Studies use the monthly version of the CPS to estimate that the unauthorized resident alien population has fallen to 10.8 million in 2009. The estimates of unauthorized aliens peaked at an estimated 12.4-12.5 million in 2007. About 44% of unauthorized alien residents in 2008 were estimated to have entered the United States in 2000 or later. Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS) reported an estimated 11.6 million unauthorized alien residents as of January 2008, up from 8.5 million in January 2000. The OIS estimated that 61% of unauthorized alien residents were from Mexico, a percentage comparable to Passel and D'Vera Cohn's calculation of 59% from Mexico. The OIS estimated that the unauthorized resident alien population in the United States increased by 37% over the period 2000 to 2008. Research suggests that various factors have contributed to the ebb and flow of unauthorized resident aliens, and that the increase is often attributed to the "push-pull" of prosperity-fueled job opportunities in the United States in contrast to limited or nonexistent job opportunities in the sending countries. Also, many foreign nationals who would prefer to come to the United States legally resort to illegal avenues in frustration over visa delays.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 25, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA506449
Entities
People
- Ruth E. Wasem
Organizations
- Library of Congress