Topic: U.S. Cities and States

• Arizona: Arizona’s foreign-born population increased 136 percent during the 1990s, the ninth largest percent increase in the country. Between 1990 and 2000, Arizona gained almost 380,000 immigrants.
  
  
• Arkansas: Arkansas saw an influx of 49,000 immigrants, bringing the total number of foreign-born residents to 74,000. That near tripling of the immigrant population was much higher than the 12 percent increase in the native-born population.
  
  
• California: Between 1990-2000 California experienced a 37 percent increase in its population amounting to 8.9 million people. As the state with the largest population of foreign-born individuals, California’s immigrants make up more than 25 percent of the state’s population.
  
  
• Colorado: As the country’s third fastest growing state in the United States, immigrants in Colorado in accounted for approximately 25 percent of the states added growth in 1990.
  
  
• Connecticut: The increase in Connecticut’s foreign-born population during the 1990s accounted for 77 percent of the state’s overall population increase.  Between 1990 and 2000, Connecticut gained 91,000 immigrants, bringing the total number of foreign-born residents in the state to almost 370,000, an increase of 32 percent.
  
  
• Delaware: Foreign-born residents now account for 6% of the total population of the state. Nine percent of Delaware’s population, or about 71,000 residents, are immigrants or the children of immigrants.
  
  
• District of Columbia: The District of Columbia’s naturalized immigrant population is 22,050, one of the lowest rates in the country. The national average for naturalized populations is 40.1 percent. District of Columbia's low rate of naturalization continues the trend from the 1990s, and indicates the high settlement rate of new immigrants and the growing number of illegal immigrants.
  
  
• Florida: As the seventh fastest growing state in the United States, Florida has received more than three million new residents in the last ten years. Of these new residents, approximately one-third are immigrants, Most immigrants in Florida are predominantly from Latin America. Many of these immigrants come from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Most notably, Miami has a large a population of Haitian refugees.
  
  
• Georgia: Georgia is the sixth fastest growing state in the United States. Within the last ten years, over 1.7 million new residents settled in Georgia. Almost 25 percent of these new residents were immigrants.
  
  
• Hawaii: Between 1990 and 2000, Hawaii gained 50,000 immigrants, bringing the total number of foreign-born residents in the state to 212,000. The increase in the foreign-born population during the 1990s accounted for 48 percent of the state’s overall population increase during the decade. Although Hawaii is not immune to illegal immigration its geographical location results in much smaller immigration rates than in the continental United States. According to INS (now called USCIS) figures, 2,000 illegal aliens reside in Hawaii.
  
  
• Idaho: Incarceration of illegal immigrants is but one challenge faced by Idaho. The state has received partial compensation under the federal State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). This program  was established in 1994 to compensate the states and local jurisdictions for incarceration of "undocumented" aliens who are serving time in Idaho's state jails and prisons.
  
  
• Illinois: In the last ten years, one million new residents have settled in the state. Reportedly, immigration-driven population growth is taking its toll on Illinois as more than half of these new residents were immigrants.
  
  
• Indiana: The Census Bureau estimated that there were about 370,000 immigrants in Indiana in 2000. Data from the 2000 Census recorded Indiana's naturalized population at 70,983, and a naturalization rate of 38.1 percent. This figure is lower than the national average rate of 40.1 percent.
  
  
• Iowa: An estimated 42,000 illegal aliens resided in Iowa as of 2006. Iowa employers have been convicted of bringing in illegal aliens to work in the state’s agricultural plants. Iowa’s meatpacking industry is dependent on foreign workers, many of whom are illegal aliens.
  
  
• Kansas: According to the USCIS, approximately 47,000 illegal aliens resided in Kansas as of 2000. This figure demonstrates an increase of 135% compared to the previous estimate in 1996. Meatpacking and agricultural jobs in southwestern Kansas are known to draw in a large number of illegal aliens.
  
  
• Kentucky: Every spring and fall, Kentucky continues to attract illegal immigrants to the state for employment opportunities in planting and harvesting crops. It is reported that many illegal immigrants reside in overcrowded, or substandard, housing as many are not able to afford housing on their wages.
  
  
• Louisiana: The 2000 Census estimated Louisiana’s foreign born population to be approximately 116,000.  However, the state is expecting an increase of 17,000 foreign born individuals by 2006. This would raise the total number of the foreign born population to approximately 133,000 for 2007.
  
  
• Maine: Maine’s population is comprised of less than three percent of foreign-born migrants.  Europeans and Canadians account for the majority of the foreign-born migrants, followed by Asians.
  
  
• Maryland: Maryland is home to a major shipping port where the arrival of immigrants has increased by more than 600 percent since the 1960s. With its close proximity to Washington, D.C., immigrants seem to settle in the Maryland suburbs of D.C., rather than in the city of Baltimore.
  
  
• Massachusetts: As of 2006 it is estimated that the immigrant population of Massachusetts is 938,590,  equating to approximately 14.5% of the state’s population. The majority of immigrants in Massachusetts are from China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan.
  
  
• Michigan: As of 2006, it is estimated that the immigrant population of Michigan is 621,060, equating to approximately 6.4% of the state’s population. The majority of immigrants are from India (10%),            China (7%), Mexico (5%), Canada (5%), and the former Soviet Union (5%).
  
  
• Minnesota: There has been an increase in the foreign-born population both through new immigrant residents in the state as well as through the children born to immigrants. It is estimated the immigrant population and immigrant births are adding nearly 20,740 persons to Minnesota every year; equating to 52.8% of the state’s overall population increase.
  
  
• Mississippi: Located in the deep southern region of the United States, Mississippi has a hot, humid sub-tropical climate with long summers and short, mild winters. Mississippi is heavily forested and has lots of freshwater rivers and lakes.
  
  
• Missouri: Missouri holds its place in history as the “Gateway to the West.” Missouri’s naturalization rate of 40.9% is a smidge higher than the national average of 40.1% based upon data recorded during the 2000 Census.
  
  
• Nevada:  As of July 2007, it is estimated  that the immigrant population of Nevada is 576,000, which equates to approximately 28.8% of the state’s population. The majority of immigrants are from Mexico (38.7%) and the Philippines (12.8%). There has been an increase in the foreign-born population both through new immigrant residents in the state as well as through the children born to immigrants.
  
  
• Ohio: Ohio has the nation’s 10th largest highway network and is within a single-day drive for half of North America’s population. Ohio also has 70% of the country’s manufacturing capacity. The state links the Northeast and Midwest;  thus, much business and cargo traffic passes through the state.
  
  
• Oklahoma: Oklahoma has one of the fastest growing economies in the U.S., leading the nation in gross domestic product growth and representing 3rd place in per capita income growth. Oklahoma’s economic stronghold is in the areas of biotechnology, energy telecommunications and energy.
  
  
• Oregon: Oregon is the 9th largest state in the US and  has a diverse topical landscape. Oregon has a beautiful natural Pacific coastline, tall dense forests through a third of the state, and rugged Cascade volcanoes.
  
  
• Rhode Island: In 2008, Rhode Island lawmakers have proposed a series of measures aimed at illegal immigrants. These measures range from expelling illegal immigrant children from Rhode Island’s healthcare system to putting business owners and landlords who harbor illegal workers to jail.
  
  
• Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania was one of the thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain during the American Revolution. As of 2005, Pennsylvania has the 17th largest economy in the world. Pennsylvania is home to 49 of the Fortune 500 companies.
  
  
• South Carolina: In an attempt to control the illegal immigration growth, there is proposed legislature in South Carolina which would require every South Carolina business to participate in a federal employee verification database.
  
  
• South Dakota: There has been an increase in the foreign-born population both through new immigrant residents in the state as well as through the children born to immigrants. It is estimated the immigrant population and immigrant births are adding nearly 1,065 persons to South Dakota every year.
  
  
• Tennessee: There has been an increase in the foreign-born population both through new immigrant residents in the state as well as through the children born to immigrants. It is estimated the immigrant population and immigrant births are adding nearly 210,635 persons to Tennessee every year.
  
  
• Texas: As of 2006 it is estimated that the immigrant population of Texas is 3,569,825, which equates to approximately 15.2% of the state’s population. The overwhelming majority of immigrants in Texas are from Mexico.
  
  
• Utah: The 2000 Census reported that of immigrants, those non-English speaking rose from 7.8% in 1990, to 11.5%. Additionally, 41.7% of those who said they spoke a language other than English reported their English skills as being less than average.
  
  
• Vermont: As of 2006 it is estimated that the immigrant population of Vermont is 27,525 which equates to approximately 3.8% of the state’s population. The majority of immigrants in Vermont are from Canada (34.0%), U.K. (7.5%), and Germany (7.2%).
  
  
• Virginia: There has been an increase in the foreign-born population both through new immigrant residents in the state as well as through the children born to immigrants. It is estimated the immigrant population and immigrant births are adding nearly 38,350 persons to Virginia every year, equating to 42.8% of the state’s overall population increase.
  
  
• West Virginia: There has been an increase in the foreign-born population both through new foreign-born residents in the state as well as through the children born to immigrants. It is estimated that the immigration population and immigrant births are adding more than 18.5 percent, or one-sixth of the state’s overall population increase.
  
  
• Wisconsin: As of 2007, FAIR estimates the state’s illegal alien population at about 90,000 persons which equates to approximately 1.6 percent of the overall population.
  
  
• Wyoming: There has been an increase in the foreign-born population both through new foreign-born residents in the state as well as through the children born to immigrants. It is estimated that the immigration population and immigrant births are adding more than 18.5 percent, or one-sixth of the state’s overall population increase.
  

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