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Where are the immigrants coming from?
 Immigrants come from Asia, Mexico, South American, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern
and Western Europe, Oceania, Central America, Caribbean, Middle East and Canada.
Many immigrants hope to obtain permanent residency or a
Green Card and
eventually achieve United States citizenship. Some
immigrants initially enter
the country legally with a visa but then violate the terms of the visa by
overstaying. Others enter illegally by resorting to the assistance of human
smugglers. The current estimate for the number of
illegal immigrants in the U.S.
is 12 million. Slightly more than half of the 12 million illegal immigrants
(nearly 7 million) come from Mexico. Approximately another 3 million come from
Latin and Central America. The next million illegal immigrants are from Asia.
The rest of the immigrants come from Europe, Canada and the rest of the world.
Most of the 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. are aged between 18 and
39. Slightly more than 5 million illegal immigrants are males varying from age
18 to 39. Females age 18 to 39 make up the second largest group at approximately
3.5 million illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants that are minors or less than
18 years old make up about 2 million. The last group of illegal immigrants aged
40 years or older are nearly 1.5 million.
Due to the close proximity of Mexico to the U.S. and the better opportunities
available in the U.S., it is no surprise that Mexicans make up the largest
percentage of illegal immigrants. Many illegal immigrants that end up getting
across the border end up staying in the U.S. permanently while a small
percentage return back home. Hispanics are a minority group that has widely
established itself in the United States and they continue to grow. Some states
that have large Hispanic communities are: California, Colorado, New Mexico,
Arizona, Florida, Nevada, New York and
Illinois. These states become common
destinations for illegal immigrants. Even states like Alaska, Georgia, Iowa,
Arkansas and North Carolina have started to undergo a Hispanic population boom
in recent years. One of the reasons Hispanics (which include those legally and
illegally in the U.S.) are residing in states with less established Hispanic
communities is because they often have a lower cost of living. While the cost of
goods and services may be similar among states, the cost of housing may vary
greatly from state to state. A lower cost of living makes a difference
especially when immigrants have families. In addition, the lower living cost
makes it easier to achieve the American dream. Other
immigrants want to get away
from congested cities like Los Angeles.
Other top countries where illegal immigrants come from are: Honduras, Brazil, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Cuba, China, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and
Costa Rica. Many Spanish-speaking illegal immigrants make their way into the
U.S. through Mexico. Some illegal immigrants may already have family in the U.S.
which makes the transition easier. Other illegal immigrants have no relatives
here. A significant number of permanent residents and U.S. citizens can relate
to the struggles of illegal immigrants because they were once in their position.
Others know of someone who was or that currently is in the same position. To
make the transition easier, illegal immigrants tend to move into regions where
others of their ethnicity already reside. By residing in these communities the
illegal immigrants feel more at home. Here illegal immigrants can hear others
speak their native language and usually have access to products and foods from
their native countries. Some of the more popular destinations among immigrants
are: Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania,
Arizona,
Minnesota, New Mexico, Mississippi, California, Georgia,
Maryland, Washington,
Virginia, Tennessee and Nevada. Whatever the ultimate destination of the
immigrant, the goal remains the same which is to improve their quality of life.
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