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 1990 accounted for approximately 25 percent of the states added growth.
  
  
• Connecticut: The increase in Connecticut’s foreign-born population during the 1990s accounted for 77 percent of the state’s overall population increase during the 1990s. 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 population is 22,050, one of the lowest rates in the country. The national average naturalized population rate is 40.1 percent. This low rate of naturalization continues the trend from 1990, 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, of which approximately one-third were immigrants, in the last ten years. Most immigrants in Florida are from Latin America, primarily from Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Miami in particular has a large a population of Haitian refugees.
  
  
• Georgia: Georgia is the sixth fastest growing state in the U.S. 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. The beautiful state of Hawaii is not immune to illegal immigration, however it is in much smaller numbers than in the continental United States. According to the INS (now called USCIS) figures, 2,000 illegal aliens reside in Hawaii, the actual number is probably around 5,000.
  
  
• 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) that 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 settled in the state. Immigration-driven population growth is taking its toll on Illinois. 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, a naturalization rate of 38.1 percent, 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. With an increase of 135% since the previous estimate in 1996. The meatpacking and agricultural jobs in southwestern Kansas that draws the large number of illegal aliens.
  
  
• Kentucky: Kentucky continues to draw in illegal immigrants to the state every spring and fall as illegal aliens arrive to plant and harvest crops. Many illegal immigrants end up living in overcrowded, or substandard, housing as many are not able to afford housing on their wages.
  
  
• Louisiana: Louisiana’s estimated foreign born population was approximately 116,000 according to the 2000 Census. However, the state is expecting an increase of 17,000 foreign born individuals by 2006 raising the total number of the foreign born population to approximately 133,000 entering 2007.
  
  
• Maine: Maine’s share of foreign-born migrants is less than three percent of its overall population. Europeans and Canadians account for the majority of the foreign-born migrants, with Asians being the second largest source.
  
  
• 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 the close proximity of 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 which equates 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 (FAIR) that the immigrant population of Michigan is 621,060 which equates to approximately 6.4% of the state’s population. The majority of immigrants are from India (10%), China (7%), Mexico (5%), Canada (5%), and 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’s 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 “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.
  
  
• Ohio: Ohio has the nation’s 10th largest highway network and is within a single-day drive for half of North America’s population and 70% of the country’s manufacturing capacity. Ohio links the Northeast and Midwest thus much of the business and cargo traffic passes through its borders on this well-developed highway network.
  
  
• Oklahoma: Oklahoma has one of the fastest growing economies in the US, leading the nation in gross domestic product growth and 3rd 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 a diverse 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 (2008) 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: An indication of the change in the immigrant population in Utah may be seen from the 2000 Census where the share of non-English speakers at home increased to 11.5% up from 7.8% recorded in 1990. Additionally, 41.7% of those who said they spoke a language other than English at home in Utah also said they spoke English less than very well.
  
  
• 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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