Immigration to Rhode Island
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 RHODE ISLAND IMMIGRATION STATISTICS |
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Total Population: |
1,057,832 (2006 Census Bureau) |
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Foreign Born: |
137,980 (2006 FAIR estimate) |
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Illegal Immigrants: |
FAIR Estimate: 35,000 (2007) |
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USCIS/DHS Estimate: 35,000 (2003) |
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Pew Hispanic Center Estimate: 20,000-40,000 (2005) |
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About Rhode Island
Rhode Island is the smallest of the 50 states in the US and covers an area
approximately 1545 square miles. It was the first of the 13 original colonies to
declare independence from Britain during the American Revolution.
The largest industries in Rhode Island are health services, tourism and
manufacturing. Rhode Island’s economy is primarily based in Agriculture and
Industry. The main agricultural commodities produced include: nursery stock,
vegetables, dairy products and eggs. The main industrial sectors include:
fashion jewelry, fabricated metal products, electric equipment, machinery,
shipbuilding/boatbuilding and tourism.
Immigration to Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s largest ancestry groups are: Italian (19%), Irish (19%), French
Canadian (17.3%), British (12%), Hispanic (11%) and Portuguese (8.7%). As of
2005, over 90% of the population are classified as white. Rhode Island has the
highest percentage of Americans with Portuguese ancestry than any other state in
the US. Rhode Island’s population increased only slightly from 2000 to 2007
according to the US Census Bureau. During this period there was a net
immigration gain of 3,270 foreign-born residents and a net population loss of
4,145 residents from net domestic migration. Factoring in births, the state
showed a net population increase of less than 1% (9,513 residents) during this
period. This rate is significantly below the national average of 9.9%.
As of 2006, it is estimated (FAIR) that the immigrant population of Rhode Island
is 137,980 which equates to approximately 13% of the state’s population. The
majority of immigrants are from Portugal (17.6%), Dominican Republic (13.7%) and
Guatemala (7.6%). Columbia, Italy, Canada, Cambodia, U.K., China and Laos
account for another 22.7% of the immigrants to Rhode Island. Rhode Island’s
naturalization rate of 47.1% is significantly higher than the national average
of 40.1% based upon data recorded during the 2000 Census. This indicates a more
assimilated and older immigrant population.
Illegal Immigration to Rhode Island
Rhode Island is facing a state financial budget ($550 million budget
deficit) crisis leading to substantial cutbacks and is in the midst of the most
intense battle over illegal immigration in New England. 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. These proposals are significant as Rhode Island has long touted
itself as a state with a strong immigrant past.
As of 2007, FAIR estimates the state’s illegal alien population at about 35,000
persons which equates to approximately 3.3% percent of the overall population.
The annual fiscal cost to Rhode Island taxpayers for emergency medical care,
education and incarceration projected by FAIR is currently $99 million and is
estimated to rise to $173 million per year in 2010 and $308 million per year in
2020.
Rhode Island Immigration Statistics
- Rhode Island’s immigrant population increased by 15.1% between 2000 and 2006.
- In 2005, housing authorities reported over 6,000 of Rhode Island households were defined as crowded or severely crowded. Studies by the Urban Institute in 2001 indicate a rise in crowded housing often correlates with in increase in the number of immigrant residents.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2007 Rhode Island’s unemployment rate is 5.5%, slightly above the national average of 5%.
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