About Louisiana
Louisiana’s population experienced an increase of 5.9% between 1990 and 2000 and decreased by 4.0% from 2000 to 2006. During 2000 to 2006 the state suffered a population loss in large part due to the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, which hit its coastline in 2004. Louisiana’s average annual population change between 2000-2006 was a -0.7% which is equivalent to a drop of about 28,760 residents per year.

Immigration to 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 in 2007. On average 2,750 foreign born migrants are added to these statistics each year. While the foreign born population is growing, the state is seeing a decline in its native-born residents at a rate of 1:2. Louisiana has historically had a strong migrant population with immigrants from several different continents of the world. The Census Bureau estimated from its 2002 American Community Survey the foreign-born were from the following regions: Africa (2.91%); Mexico (5.06%); Latin America and Caribbean (29.32%); Asia & Oceania (41.15%); Europe & Canada (21.55%).

1990 Census data shows that 43.6% of Louisiana’s foreign-born residents became naturalized U.S. citizens. In 2000, the Census data recorded the state’s naturalized population at 56,102 or 48.4% of the overall population. These rates are significantly higher than the national average of 40%. These figures which represent a high rate of naturalization indicate a more established population and a smaller illegal alien population.

Illegal Immigration to Louisiana
As of 2007, FAIR estimates the state’s illegal alien population to be around 25,000 individuals. The annual fiscal cost to Louisiana taxpayers for emergency medial care, education and incarceration projected by FAIR is currently around $26,000,000.

Under the federal State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), Louisiana receives partial compensation for their incarceration costs. SCAAP was established in 1994 to compensate states and local jurisdictions for the “undocumented” aliens serving time for a felony conviction or at least two misdemeanors. The amount of SCAAP awards has been rapidly decreasing since 2000 and the number of incarcerated keeps rising. For example In 1999, for the 178 prisoner years of detention, the state received only 38.6% of its costs. Then by 2002, illegal alien detentions increased by 26% and compensation decreased by 58%.

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires all hospitals with emergency rooms to treat and stabilize patients with emergency medical needs regardless of residency status or their financial ability to pay for the treatment. In 2003, Congress enacted an appropriation of $250 million per year (for 4 years) to offset some of these costs. Each state receives their compensation based upon its estimates of illegal alien population. In 2004, the proposed payment to Louisiana was $119,235, a small fraction of the overall medical outlays.

Educational costs to the Louisiana taxpayers is estimated to be $17.5 million annually, based upon a study published by FAIR in 2004. Of those costs, $7.3 million went towards education for undocumented immigrants and $10.2 million was allocated for education of their U.S. born siblings.

Louisiana Immigration Statistics

• Immigrants from Vietnam account for approximately 14.5% of foreign-born immigrants
• Louisiana received an average of 422 refugees per year between 1996-2004
• The 2007 annual report from the Institute of International Education indicates that 5,619 foreign students attended post-secondary school in Louisiana
• Louisiana State University is listed as having a major concentration of enrolled foreign students