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Economic Downturn Drops Immigration Numbers

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 23, 2008

WASHINGTON - The wave of immigrants entering the United States slowed dramatically last year as the economy faltered and the government stepped up enforcement of immigration laws.

The nation added about a half million immigrants in 2007, down from more than 1.8 million the year before, according to estimates being released today by the Census Bureau.

"The U.S. is still a beacon for many people who want to come here for all kinds of reasons," said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution who analyzed the numbers. "But what this shows is that the economy plays a big part in it."

The United States has added an average of about 1 million immigrants a year since 1990, a number that includes those in the country legally and illegally.

At more than 38 million, the number of immigrants in the United States is at an all-time high. Immigrants made up 12.6 percent of the population in 2007, the largest share since 1920.

The Associated Press

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