Number of Illegal Immigrants Plunges by 1M

(CBS)  The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. has dropped by nearly 1 million, renewing the debate over what to do with those still in the country, according to a Los Angeles Times report Thursday.

The Department of Homeland Security reported that illegal immigrant population dropped to 10.8 million in 2009 compared to 11.6 million in 2008. It was the second consecutive annual decline and the largest in at least three decades.

"This represents a sharp break from the past, when pretty much the illegal population has continually grown," Steven Camarota, of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C., think-tank that favors immigration restrictions, told the paper. "It shows illegal immigration is not inexorable."

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According to the report, the downturn in illegal immigration is due in part to the bad economy, in which job opportunities have dried up. Homeland Security department spokesman Matthew Chandler told the paper that the U.S. had also deployed "unprecedented resources" to crack down on illegal immigration.

The report renews a polarizing argument on how to address illegal immigrants' presence in the country.

Those in favor of tougher immigration control say the report offers proof that illegal immigration is linked to job opportunities. Take away the jobs and illegal immigrants will leave the U.S.

"Whether jobs dry up because the government is doing enforcement or because of the recession, illegal aliens react in a rational manner: They either will not come or they'll go home," Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, told the paper. "It certainly shows that illegal immigration is a controllable phenomenon."

But there are still those in favor of legalizing those undocumented immigrants already here.

"Millions of people here are good citizens and workers who pay taxes and own homes," Rev. Richard Estrada of Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Los Angeles, told the paper. "The reality is that they are not going back."

According to the DHS report, 63 percent of the illegal immigrants in the country arrived before 2000.

Among illegal immigrant groups, the Chinese population dropped by the largest percentage - nearly 50 percent. Mexicans, the largest illegal immigrant population, dropped 380,000 to 6.65 million.

Declines occurred in most parts of the country, though it increased in Georgia. Arizona, Florida, New Jersey and New York all saw double-digit drops.

[j567]

Just consider that if even 2/3 of that illegal population was paying taxes, as do legal citizens, an average of 42 billion dollars would be added to our economy in one year. Not to mention the cost of providing free health care to this population.

[ottumwaiowa1]

As a United States citizen, out of work, no way to feed my family except for unemployment, I would mop floors, bust tables, clean toilets and work construction to help feed my family and pay my bills, but all these jobs are taken by those here illegally. Send them all back. The milk and honey that was once here is gone now.

[rwsmith29456]

"Millions of people here are good citizens and workers who pay taxes and own homes," Rev. Richard Estrada of Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Los Angeles, told the paper. "The reality is that they are not going back." And just who the heck is Rev. Richard Estrada? Maybe he should be deported.

[rwsmith29456]

That's not enough. Send them all packing.

[sedean1]

So, just so I have this right, 10.8 million illegal immigrants left?
Right, something I really needed to know, especially since the government doesn't seem to be able to locate most of these people.

[robbyr2]

No wonder we are in a recession... all those consumers gone.

[CBSisCommunist5]

ACORN is making voting citizens out of them

[Highlander108]

Don't trust these numbers. Who says that there has truly been a decline by 1 million illegal aliens??? All of the numbers are off by millions anyway; there are far more illegal hispanic aliens than any census or poll every will show the truth of. This B.S. is fed to the media by the U.S. government as they (the government) prepares to shove another amnesty down U.S. Citizen's throats!!!
JOIN OUR FIGHT TO RID THE U.S. OF ILLEGAL HISPANIC ALIENS! Go to www.FAIRUS.org or NumbersUSA. Vote NO to all amnesty attempts!!!!!!! NO REWARDING THOSE THAT HAVE THUMBED THEIR NOSES AT OUR U.S. IMMIGRATION LAWS, AND BROKE THE LAW TO COME TO THE U.S., bringing with them crime, gangs, drugs, diseases, anchor babies, and over crowding to our land. All in the name of cheap illegal foreign labor for the greedy and corrupt that aid and abet illegal aliens in the U.S.!!! Let your constituents know that you want our U.S. borders properly secured, not played games with; such as with the stupid virtual fence. We The People want our nation's immigration laws enforced!!!!!!!!!!! Not ignored, and then hand outs given to those that broke the immigration laws in the first place. LOOK AROUND YOU EVERYONE AT THE HORDES OF ILLEGAL HISPANIC ALIENS IN THE U.S., AND THEY ARE NOT LEAVING NO MATTER WHAT THIS BOGUS ARTICLE IMPLIES.

[eg0550361]

you ar eright. I hate it when i agree on the deportation of illegals and their anchor babies, hispanics take it as racist. Anyway, i do not see them leaving, but i see more of them every day. And they DO take americans jobs away, since they steal SSN and go work at target or walmart, pushing out hose americans who really deserve the jobs.

[wdh3007]

Well I suppose that's 1 million lost votes for Obummer good only about 29 million more to go before amnesty is granted to 30 million illegal aliens.

[poochie44]

They're all in Arizona. The U.S. needs more people like Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his posse to rid the country of the rest of the illegals but unfortunately the head of Homeland Security is Arizona's very own Janet (nappyazz) Napalitano. She wanted Phoenix to be a sanctuary city for all illegals so while she's head of HS the illegals won't be going anywhere.