DHS Report on Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrants Residing in the US

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released its report on the numbers of unauthorized immigrants residing in the U.S. as of January 2011.     The report makes a notable change in the methodology and also takes into consideration the 2010 Census data.   The DHS report, perhaps unsurprisingly, indicates that an estimated 11.5 million unauthorized immigrants were living in the U.S. in January 2011 compared to a revised 2010 estimate of 11.6 million.   The (very slight) decrease in the number of unauthorized immigrants is attributed mainly to the economic recession and some renewed removal efforts by the current administration.

Long Term Trends

The unauthorized immigrant population increased from 2–4 million in 1980 to 8.5 million by 2000.  After 2000, the number of unauthorized immigrants continued to increase. Previous estimates suggest a peak in about 2007 of 11.8 million or 12.0 million (variation is based on data from different surveys).    The January 2011 report of 11.5 million suggests a slight decrease over the past few years.

Period of Entry

Of the 11.5 million unauthorized immigrants in 2011, 1.6 million (14 percent) entered the United States on January 1, 2005 or later.  Larger numbers came during 2000-2004 (3.3 million or 29 percent) and 1995–1999 (3.0 million or 26 percent). Fewer came between 1990–1994 (1.6 million or 14 percent) or in the 1980s (1.9 million or 17 percent).

Estimates by Region and Country of Birth

An estimated 8.9 million (77 percent) of the total 11.5 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2011 were from North America, including Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.  The next leading regions of origin were Asia (1.3 million) and South America (0.8 million).  Between 2000 and 2011, the greatest increase in the unauthorized population occurred among natives of North America (2.8 million).

Mexico continued to be the leading source country of unauthorized immigration to the United States.  There were 6.8 million unauthorized immigrants from Mexico in 2011, representing 59 percent of the unauthorized population.   The next leading source countries were El Salvador (660,000), Guatemala (520,000), Honduras (380,000), and China (280,000).

Estimates by State of Residence

California remained the leading state of residence of the unauthorized immigrant population in 2011, with 2.8 million.  The next leading state was Texas with 1.8 million unauthorized residents, followed by Florida (740,000), New York (630,000), and Illinois (550,000).