Georgia’s illegal immigration count: 440,000 in 2011
Georgia’s illegal immigration population as of January 2011 stood at 440,000 souls, according to a just-issued U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Last year, the DHS put Georgia’s “unauthorized immigrant population” — the agency’s term — at 460,000. Which would mean a decrease of 20,000, or 4 percent. Except that the agency now says the 2010 figure was off, and is not worthy of use. Presumably, that’s why the chart below doesn’t include anything from last year.
The nation as a whole has 11.5 million “unauthorized” immigrants, according to the annual estimate. That’s slightly lower than the 11.6 million judged to be in the country the previous year.
This latest report stays away from causation. And because the numbers are drawn from the U.S. census count, they don’t measure any impact from HB 87, the bill passed last spring by the Legislature giving law enforcement authorities greater responsibility for checking stopped individuals for proof of citizenship.
Here’s the chart:
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
145 comments Add your comment
ld
March 23rd, 2012
5:12 pm
Rick
We are probably remembering reading about the same “tragic” incident–
why I wrote unless something “tragic” happens.
My point is, the Justice Department —
not just some trial lawyer via the civil court —
should have made certain this construction company FELT the adverse consequences of hiring an illegal.
Until there are serious financial and criminal consequences for hiring illegals and/or for housing them, they will come.
I have no problem w/creating the guest worker program for agriculture and /or other even some other industries –provided the illegals would not be citizens and not entitled to the massive entitlements of “the great society” because the illegally crossed the border unable to work.
There needs to be a PUSH for laws requiring these illegals to have a VISITOR PHOTO ID or be put in prison camps while the rest of the issues are decided.
We cannot solve the problems associated with illegal immigration until we clearly identify the problem and, equally importantly, KNOW THE FULL SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM.
These problems include harm to the illegals as well. How many children are not on milk cartons because their parents are afraid to report them missing? How many people are the victims of unreported crimes because they are afraid to call the police?
That the members of Congress refuse to deal with this issue in a practical way is enough reason to replace ALL of them.
ld
March 23rd, 2012
5:15 pm
Illegals also ‘feed’ the total UNDERGROUND economy–an economy that is not taxed, forcing those of us operating within the legal economy to be taxed more.
Centrist
March 23rd, 2012
5:15 pm
No sense in debating this any further. Another Voice is the minority of the minority. Georgia’s anti-ILLEGAL immigration law is popular and working as it was designed.
ld
March 23rd, 2012
5:21 pm
Bullsh*t.
While I do not know that Pat Buchanan and I agree on much–
he is a religious zealot; I believe in individual liberty.
(Religion, as law/government, (a/k/a theocracy) is tyranny–NOT freedom)–
on thisone point we might well agree:
We DESPARATELY NEED a “national dialogue” on this illegal immigration issue w/much candor and w/o the “pollitical correctness” that infests the political class and the talking heads.
As I recall, Newt, while politickin’, said that if the illegals are members of their church community and had been for a while–decade or so–then we couldn’t send them home. In my view, this just makes them career criminals.
I get that they want a better life; they should not start it w/an illegal act.
Ken Dreger
March 23rd, 2012
5:25 pm
The term undocumented immigrants is purposely incorrect in order to sway the public in favor of special interest groups and only clouds the reality of the situation… The term illegal alien is broader and more accurate because it includes undocumented aliens and nonimmigrant visa overstayers. …the term illegal alien, being broader in scope, is the accurate term to use. In that immigrant connotes legality, the term illegal immigrant is really an oxymoron.
To clarify, an alien is any person who is not a citizen or national of the United States. An immigrant is an alien admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident.
An illegal alien is someone who enters the United States without immigration inspection or without an appropriate visa authorizing entry.
The term illegal immigrant is often used interchangeably with illegal alien. However, the correct term for a person entering the United States unlawfully is illegal alien.
The politically-correct phrase undocumented immigrant has no legal basis – it is simply a term used by those who support open borders as an attempt to reframe terminology used in the immigration debate.
A permanent resident alien is an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residency. Permanent residents are also sometimes referred to as immigrants. Note that the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) broadly defines an immigrant as any alien in the United States, except one legally admitted under specific nonimmigrant categories (INA section 101(a)(15)).
Only legal permanent residents may reside permanently in the United States. The Department of State issues visas for this purpose. Other agencies can adjust one’s immigration status to permanent resident alien.
If you continue to use Illegal Immigrant why not use the term Undocumented Pharmacists for drug dealers, or Undocumented asset managers for a thief?
You see, it is only the media who tries to be politically correct when it reality nobody can, something will offend someone at sometime, so let’s just tell it like it is and be truthful about it.
People who overstay visa, sneak over ANY countries borders without documentation ARE “ILLEGAL ALIENS” PERIOD.
ld
March 23rd, 2012
5:28 pm
The amount of gang grafitti in Hall County increased along with the illegal population drawn to the chicken plants.
The moneyed owner/investor/employer class (for whose benefit Ronald Reagan gave the “first” wave of illegal immigrants from Mexico) DO NOT pass the savings on to the consumers–evidence the rise in prices along w/the rise in illegals over the last decade+. They have enjoyed an increase in profit.
ld
March 23rd, 2012
5:34 pm
Ken
Sounds like you, too, find extreme political correctness irksome. Pity the few that try to dish a blunt dose of reality too often get shouted down.
I don’t know how many of the illegal immigrants are just agricultural workers or construction workers and/or how many might be illegal pharmacists or illegal arm’s dealers or even human slave traffickers–that’s part of the problem.
Until the full scope of the problem is fully identified, Congress cannot even convincingly pretend to make informed decisions
Ted
March 23rd, 2012
5:38 pm
The ignorance of the pro-illegal immigration comments are always depressing, but they’ll eventually change their tune. They just need to keep banging the drum for open borders and “there’s not such thing as illegal” and all that nonsense until one day they wake up and see their neighborhood is looking like mine here in Southern California. “Danny X” seems to think the concept of higher taxes, schools and emergencies overrun with illegals who don’t pay into the system, etc., is a “lie.” Danny, my friend, move out to my neighborhood – a nice middle-class neighborhood 20 years ago – for six months and then tell me that illegal immigration is not a problem.
ld
March 23rd, 2012
5:44 pm
Illegal imigrants want the benefits of citizenship w/o the responsibility. Many send money they, as citizens, might otherwise pay in tax “home” to Mexico.
This dual citizenship issue needs to be looked at as well. How many of these people vote in BOTH countries? and where are their true loyalities?
I also understand that PR is set to vote later this year on whether or no to become the 51st state. These people need to accept the responsibilities of citizenship if they want to keep the benefits of citizenship.
The US Congress and Mexican authorities need to decide–is there or is there not a border between the US and Mexico; if we are one undivided nation, then the part south of the Rio Grand needs to accept responsibilities of citizenship those north must bear and be subject to US law. However,
I doubt they actually will be willing to do that–Mexico, whether as an underground and coordinated effort or just happenstance, seems to be well on their way to annexing parts of the US, especially in the in the southwest.
Spank me sideways
March 23rd, 2012
5:55 pm
Field Director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Atlanta
Field Skinner
One appoints her with her Obama buddies to handle our immigration problems in Georgia. We live in a society where thugs and associates are given federal positions to jail the people that do our tough labor. Tough stance on those that do the toughest jobs.
Spank me sideways
March 23rd, 2012
5:56 pm
*Felicia
Istabul
March 23rd, 2012
6:07 pm
Spank me sideways
Don’t sweat it pal. The civilized man has parted ways with tackling corruption. He stands by dirt bags and thugs.
Not Blind
March 23rd, 2012
6:11 pm
How ironic, on the AJC homepage the article just above this article is about illegal aliens in Smyrna with multiple handguns, assault rifles, counterfeit money, drugs, etc. There are FAR more of these types of illegal aliens than the liberals want to admit. Doesn’t matter, let them all in.
Going Right
March 23rd, 2012
6:25 pm
Another Voice @ 3:08pm;
So many ignorant people posting here
If I can point out one “ignorant person” who is posting on this blog, will you not post any other “ignorant posts?”
Bud
March 23rd, 2012
6:25 pm
The children of God can live wherever they find themselves in/on this World. The word illegal doesn’t exist in the eyes of the Lord.
Americano
March 23rd, 2012
6:27 pm
Deport Christians 4 a better America!
Metro Mensa Man
March 23rd, 2012
6:35 pm
Ken Dreger:
In an otherwise good post, I would only take issue with one small statement that I cannot agree with, to wit:
“…the term illegal immigrant is really an oxymoron.”
My father and mother were “immigrants” from Ireland in the 30’s. Just so happen they were legal but that makes no difference; not all immigrants are illegal, ergo the statement about “illegal immigrants” being an oxymoron doesn’t fit.
Church of the painful Truth
March 23rd, 2012
6:37 pm
All (illegals,white,black and any other color) are invited to our service this Sunday.We are having a message on Hoodies,ponchos and wool vest. Our minister will be wearing a hoodie over a wool vest and our choir will be wearing ponchos while singing “We shall overcome someday” Ya’ll come,you hear!!! P.S. We wiil be receiving a LOVE OFFERING.Show me the Money!!!
20/20
March 23rd, 2012
6:42 pm
Only those who are not Americans would not capitalize the “A” in America unless, of course, they are socialist Democrats in which case they can’t even spell it correctly. For them, you see, it’s AMERIKA – all caps of course to further blur their vapid intellect.
td
March 23rd, 2012
6:51 pm
We are either a nation of laws or we are not. If people are here illegally then they need to go back to their country and get into the back of the line and wait their turn until they can come here legally.
snellville
March 23rd, 2012
6:54 pm
Polite golf clap to the use of the word, ergo.
randy
March 23rd, 2012
7:04 pm
I welcome Christians to the Southernland wherever they may come from. Jesus was illegal when they stoned him.
Laurie
March 23rd, 2012
7:05 pm
Dear BATS, how did those India programmer and support group work out for you? Signed, a citizen of the United States.
Positive mind
March 23rd, 2012
7:11 pm
It does not matter who you are. Both black people and white people are being barbaric and directing their own problems towards a minority. I know one too many business owners who are putting drugs in our youth’s pockets. Their is only one way to think according to these so-called conservatives. Conservatism is not hatred. It is fiscal responsibility. These so-called illegals are not draining the system. The system is already drained.
Gene Ralno
March 23rd, 2012
7:21 pm
Hey Voice, would you open the borders to every nation or just to Mexico? If you don’t answer this question, everyone here will assume it’s you who is the racist. If you’re a citizen, and I have doubts, why don’t you stand with your countrymen in lieu of your friends and relatives from Mexico?
randy
March 23rd, 2012
7:26 pm
gene,
mi casa, su casa
DLink
March 23rd, 2012
7:40 pm
Illegal immigrants basically fulfill a “slavery” function, for the most part, in the U.S. today. Sure, 10% fulfill jobs anyone might be interested in… To be honest, not terribly interested in anyone’s immigration status. ANYBODIES.
It’s a BS “talking point”, like “birth control”, or “death penalty”. Any new laws on immigration will be used to abuse. I don’t much care for any of it. Find a way to tax them to pay for their stay. They’re here for a reason, someone needs them. Maybe not you, or I. Someone does, or they wouldn’t be here.
You wanna kill this issue, let me tell you how to do it. Find a way to enforce all workers rights on immigrants and put them on a level playing field with Americans. All the pay, workman’s comp, tax illegals as we tax ourselves. Problem solved. Hold businesses hiring illegals accountable.
Don’t take their illegal workers away, enforce a level playing field. Make them pay to play here in the U.S. Like being on parole, you get one shot. ANYTHING illegal, go home. Notice, that’s kinda the way it is now. Except for the business part, which has to play strictly by the rules. Which, in the U.S. means, using as many people as possible to make myself the most money possible for yourself.
I wonder how many so called “Entitlement” programs have kept a business going by providing for the health of the people making them the money. Legal, or Illegal. I’m just saying, someone has to pay for what businesses are not, anymore. BALANCE THE BUDGET.
The rest is sniveling ideology.
Hard Workers
March 23rd, 2012
7:52 pm
This class warfare is simply the antics of the republican party. It is not this way for an accident.
Jay
March 23rd, 2012
7:57 pm
Rick in grayson…Most of all the identity/credit was stolen by Americans, what’s your point? Now all you repubs want to blame Pres.Obama. Anything that happen in this country you want to blame our President…Racism in Georgia…Guest what , the Demographics are changing in Georgia, in time you will be the minority….We are all created equal…
Ugly American
March 23rd, 2012
8:21 pm
These figures from the Census actually are probably off by quite a bit. When the Census was done in 2010 Spanish language media was telling illegal aliens not to fill out the forms because they would be used to locate and deport them.
Every law made with the intent of trying to get a good estimate of how many unregistered foreign nationals are here without permission has been fought tooth and nail by Mexico. The simple fact is that if we don’t know, they can say it is any number they think people might believe. It is in Obama’s interest and Latin America’s that we don’t know the truth.
If the true number of illegal foreign nationals was ever known two things are certain;
(1) There would be a lot more of them than our government says there are.
(2) There are not as many as pro-illegal alien groups and their countries want us to think there are.
The real figure is probably around twenty to twenty-five million, most from Latin America. Where do you think all the tremendous growth in the Latino population has come from? Anchor babies and illegal aliens.
Peter in NC
March 23rd, 2012
8:40 pm
Wow, so much to absorb.
As with saying there is 20,000 less people paying sales tax and such. That only means that 20,000 jobs are available to Americans now that otherwise might not have a choice. Many of those here illegally are paid under the table anyway, so there is no SS or other taxes taken out of a ‘check’. Also, that means the system can save from all the paying out of benefits to Americans in various forms while they were not working.
Anyway,
Also, since they are breaking the laws with forged and stolen id in many cases, their children are being brought up in a criminal state of mind and learn to get around, break, and disobey laws. I do know that if someone was trespassing on my land, I would run them off or call the police, but we are not supposed to do anything about it?
If someone broke into my house to steal, I’m suppose to feed them? Am I supposed to ask them if they have enough or need more and show them where the valuables are kept before I show them out? Or am I supposed to get the guest room ready? Well, that is how we are treating illegal aliens.
I’m not one to judge, but I do know, that because everything has been broken for so long, it is going to be a tough ride to get back on track and a very bumpy ride.
Ellis Island
March 23rd, 2012
9:14 pm
Immigration isn’t the problem — illegal immigration is the problem. Irish and Polish immigrants stopped at the border for inspection.
td
March 23rd, 2012
10:05 pm
Ellis Island
March 23rd, 2012
9:14 pm
Amen. My wife spent a year in Indonesia on a small island in quarantine before she was allowed to come into the country. She waited her turn in the back of the line. I is time for the rest of the illegals to do the same.
WhiteDude
March 23rd, 2012
10:33 pm
Asia for Asians, Africa for Africans, White countries for everyone?
Everybody
says there is this RACE problem. Everybody says this RACE problem will
be solved when the third world pours into EVERY white country and ONLY
into White countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium are more
crowded than Japan or Taiwan, but nobody says Japan or Taiwan will solve
this RACE problem by bringing in millions of third worlders and quote
assimilating unquote with them.
Everybody says the final
solution to this RACE problem is for EVERY white country and ONLY White
countries to “assimilate,” i.e., intermarry, with all those non-Whites.
What
if I said there was this RACE problem and this RACE problem would be
solved only if hundreds of millions of non-blacks were brought into
EVERY black country and ONLY into black countries? How long would it
take anyone to realize I’m not talking about a RACE problem. I am
talking about the final solution to the BLACK problem? And how long
would it take any sane black man to notice this and what kind of psycho
black man wouldn’t object to this?
But if I tell that obvious
truth about the ongoing program of genocide against my race, the White
race, Liberals and respectable conservatives will just say that I’m a
naziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews.
They say they are anti-racist. What they are is anti-White.
Anti-racist is a code word for anti-White.
Ignorant Armchair Economist
March 23rd, 2012
10:35 pm
Doesn’t matter who wins the economic argument as economics seems irrelevant when we’re discussing 3% or less of the US population. The issue is too complex to rely on one, or four or five proofs to make one’s case.
The real issue is how do we humanely solve a problem. Emotional arguments historically produce inferior results, as do good intentions. When the problem is rooted in competition for basic resources, we should resist the natural tendency to “go caveman” or moralistic. Each of us who made an entry tonight should start over. Deconstruct your reasoning with an eye toward the solution. Accept that you could be wrong and sure that you might be. If we all do this we will find the way.
WhiteDude
March 23rd, 2012
10:49 pm
Asia for Asians, Africa for Africans, White countries for everyone?
Everybody
says there is this RACE problem. Everybody says this RACE problem will.
be solved when the third world pours into EVERY white country and ONLY.
into White countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium are more.
crowded than Japan or Taiwan, but nobody says Japan or Taiwan will solve.
this RACE problem by bringing in millions of third worlders and quote.
assimilating unquote with them.
Everybody says the final.
solution to this RACE problem is for EVERY white country and ONLY White.
countries to “assimilate,” i.e., intermarry, with all those non-Whites.
What
if I said there was this RACE problem and this RACE problem would be.
solved only if hundreds of millions of non-blacks were brought into.
EVERY black country and ONLY into black countries? How long would it.
take anyone to realize I’m not talking about a RACE problem. I am
talking about the final solution to the BLACK problem? And how long.
would it take any sane black man to notice this and what kind of psycho.
black man wouldn’t object to this?
But if I tell that obvious.
truth about the ongoing program of genocide against my race, the White.
race, Liberals and respectable conservatives will just say that I’m a.
naziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews.
They say they are anti-racist. What they are is anti-White.
Anti-racist is a code word for anti-White.
Where did you post the Mantra today (Swarmfront)? - Page 10 - Stormfront
March 23rd, 2012
11:00 pm
[...] the Mantra today (Swarmfront)? Elizabeth Warren balks at illegals program – BostonHerald.com Georgia The Census, illegals, and states (OneNewsNow.com) 20 suspected illegals land boat in Calif. – [...]
The Future
March 23rd, 2012
11:01 pm
Reality check, anybody that is smart and succesful knows the importance of the hispanic work force.
The people who complain and nag are simply failures, unhappy and want someone to blame for there frustations. Wake up people! Work and leave others alone and forget about all those percentages and numbers. There are enough US born kids with Mexican blood that will have voice and will be able to vote in the very near future, and that’s that folks! Yallll should treat them nice.
ZzzzzZzzzz......
March 23rd, 2012
11:07 pm
Yawn and whatever.
Rick in Grayson
March 24th, 2012
5:21 am
We need to encourage our Congressional representatives to pass the E-Verify bill to mandate checking of immigration status for all employees of all employers. US citizens need to take back jobs currently performed by illegal aliens. Here is an excerpt from NumbersUSA!
Minority voters support E-Verify because illegal immigration hurts mostly those Americans who can least afford it, unskilled and low- skilled workers. If the president and Congress wish to help these workers, the Legal Workforce Act is the clear road to do so. When the Chipotle fast-food company was audited and hundreds of its illegal workers were fired, American citizens lined up for blocks the next day for a chance at those jobs.
But not all illegal immigrants are unskilled or low-skilled labor or from Latin American countries. In fact, 40 percent of illegal immigrants are visa overstays from European, Asian, and other countries many of whom take high-end jobs from Americans. E-Verify also would return those high-skilled jobs to American workers.
Rick in Grayson
March 24th, 2012
5:24 am
Support the passage of a mandatory E-Verify bill in all states. Excerpt from NumbersUSA article:
Without the ability to obtain a job in the United States, most illegal immigrants will self- deport, as evidenced by the number of illegal immigrants who have self-deported during the building industry downturn.
E-Verify simply matches a person’s name, Social Security number, and birthdate against Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security databases. Its accuracy rate is far superior to that of the I-9 forms, that are currently used to check eligibility, it lowers costs for employers, and its race-neutral.
U.S. Citizernship and Immigration Services data from 2010 show that 98.3 percent of employees were confirmed as work-authorized instantly or within 24 hours using E-Verify. A 2009 report from the research firm Westat found that that those eligible to work are immediately confirmed 99.5 percent of the time.
We know the bill would open millions of jobs for American workers. It would lessen the need to keep extending unemployment benefits. It’s also politically popular.
DfwDude
March 24th, 2012
9:10 am
Here’s to ya Voice. (not a complement)
People complaint about being Oil dependent, now we are heading for food dependency because US citizens will not work the fields and are offended when other come to earn an honest dollar for an honest day of work…GET REAL!!!
Voice..If I needed a job and all I could find is field work…then field work is what i’d do to put food on the table for my family,a roof over their heads and clothes on their back!
……….
You can try to criminalize, demonize and de -humanize these folks to excuse what WE ALL know this is pure racism.
Voice, It is NOT racists to want the laws of the land to be followed and enforced!
————————————————
Immigration violations are misdemeanors much like a speeding tickets they are not crimes.
Voice,If a deported illegal alien returns back into the US,then it becomes a felony!
——————————————————–
Anchor baby is a derogatory term
Voice,no anchor baby is a term to describe how/why illegals sneak into the US to birth the child to reap the benefits from being born a citizen.
———————————————————–
ALL they want is to be here legally!!!
Voice,All immigrants want to be in the US legally…There are some who do it the correct way and deserve it. Then there are those who come here illegally and believe they have right to make demands,then they expect to be granted amnesty like a get out of jail card.
——————————————
Anne Mitchell
March 24th, 2012
9:23 am
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304537904577277242682364690.html
‘Californias’ Greek Tragedy’ from the Wall Street Journal
Parents shun ESL-majority schools
http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20120318/ARTICLES/120319609/0/PT07?p=1&tc=pg
Another Voice
March 24th, 2012
5:25 pm
NumbersUSA is a restrictionist group that has been associated with many hate groups.
Ole Guy
March 24th, 2012
5:34 pm
There is absolutely nothing racist nor biggot-bound in wanting everyone, with whom you “share the sidewalks” of life in these-here United States, being here legally. The arguements are many; they have all been documented, discussed to death and re-discussed. The reason this stuff continues is all-too-painfully apparent…governmental laxity, ineptitude, and an obvious attitude of pandering to the economic interists of cheap labor availability.