Immigration to Louisiana
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 LOUISIANA IMMIGRATION STATISTICS |
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Total Population: |
4,287,768 (2006) |
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Foreign Born: |
113,225 (2006) |
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Illegal Immigrants: |
FAIR Estimate: 25,000 (2007) |
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USCIS/DHS Estimate: 5,000 (2000) |
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Pew Hispanic Center Estimate: 35,000 (2005) |
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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
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