(cache) Demographics of Immigrants in the United States Illegally - Illegal Immigration

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ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Last updated on: 8/19/2014 9:05:01 AM PST

Demographics of Immigrants in the United States Illegally
Countries of Origin, States of Residence, Age, Gender, and Jobs Held 2000-2012

I.	Introduction
II.	Top 10 Countries of Origin, 2000-2012
III.	Top 10 States of Residence, 2000-2012
IV.	Distribution by Age and Gender, 2012
V.	Top 20 Jobs Held, 2008

I. Introduction

Farm Workers near Bakersfield, California
Source: Victor Davis Hanson, "Incoherent Immigration Reform," nationalreview.com, Feb. 7, 2013.

Who are the immigrants in the United States illegally? Where do they come from? In which states do they settle? What jobs do they hold?

As of 2012, the population of immigrants in the United States illegally is estimated to be approximately 11.43 million, roughly 3.7% of the entire US population. 59% of the immigrants in the country illegally are from Mexico, and 25% of all immigrants in the country illegally reside in California. 53% of the immigrants in the United States illegally are male. In 2008, approximately 31% of workers in the roofing industry and 27% of maids/housekeepers were immigrants living in the country illegally.

The demographic statistics below are based on estimates created by the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Pew Hispanic Research Center.

II. Top 10 Countries of Origin (2000-2012) of Immigrants Living in the United States Illegally

Top 10 Countries of Origin, 2000-2012

	2000
Country	Population
1. Mexico	4,680,000
2. El Salvador	430,000
3. Guatemala	290,000
4. Philippines	200,000
5. China	190,000
6. Korea	180,000
7. Honduras	160,000
8. India	120,000
9. Ecuador	110,000
10. Brazil	100,000
All Countries	8,460,000

	2005*
Country	Population
1. Mexico	5,970,000
2. El Salvador	470,000
3. Guatemala	370,000
4. India	280,000
5. China	230,000
6. Philippines	210,000
7. Korea	210,000
8. Honduras	180,000
9. Brazil	170,000
10. Vietnam	160,000
All Countries	10,500,000

	2008
Country	Population
1. Mexico	7,030,000
2. El Salvador	570,000
3. Guatemala	430,000
4. Philippines	300,000
5. Honduras	300,000
6. Korea	240,000
7. China	220,000
8. Brazil	180,000
9. Ecuador	170,000
10. India	160,000
All Countries	11,600,000

	2012
Country	Population
1. Mexico	6,720,000
2. El Salvador	690,000
3. Guatemala	560,000
4. Honduras	360,000
5. Philippines	310,000
6. India	260,000
7. Korea	230,000
8. China	210,000
9. Ecuador	170,000
10. Vietnam	160,000
All Countries	11,430,000

Sources and Notes:

Sources:

1. Bryan Baker and Nancy Rytina, "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2012"

Mar. 2013

2. Michael Hoefer, Nancy Rytina, and Bryan C. Baker, "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2008"

Feb. 2009

3. Michael Hoefer, Nancy Rytina, and Christopher Campbell, "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2005", Aug. 2006

Notes:

*Estimates were not developed by the United States Department of Homeland Security in 2004, so we used their 2005 estimates.

**Supplemental documents of unauthorized immigrant populations from 1990-2000, released by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS): "Illegal Alien Resident Population"

Dec. 2001

III. Top 10 States of Residence (2000-2012) of Immigrants Living in the United States Illegally

Top 10 States of Residence, 2000-2012

	2000
Country	Population
1. California	2,510,000
2. Texas	1,090,000
3. Florida	800,000
4. New York	540,000
5. Illinois	440,000
6. New Jersey	350,000
7. Arizona	330,000
8. North Carolina	260,000
9. Georgia	220,000
10. Nevada	170,000
40 other states	1,750,000
Total	8,460,000

	2005*
Country	Population
1. California	2,770,000
2. Texas	1,360,000
3. Florida	850,000
4. New York	560,000
5. Illinois	520,000
6. Arizona	480,000
7. Georgia	470,000
8. New Jersey	380,000
9. North Carolina	360,000
10. Nevada	240,000
40 other states	2,510,000
Total	10,500,000

	2008
Country	Population
1. California	2,850,000
2. Texas	1,680,000
3. Florida	840,000
4. New York	640,000
5. Arizona	560,000
6. Illinois	550,000
7. Georgia	460,000
8. New Jersey	400,000
9. North Carolina	380,000
10. Nevada	280,000
40 other states	2,950,000
Total	11,600,000

	2012
Country	Population
1. California	2,820,000
2. Texas	1,830,000
3. Florida	730,000
4. New York	580,000
5. Illinois	540,000
6. New Jersey	430,000
7. Georgia	400,000
8. North Carolina	360,000
9. Arizona	350,000
10. Washington	270,000
40 other states	3,110,000
Total	11,430,000

Sources and notes:

Sources:

1. Bryan Baker and Nancy Rytina, "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2012"

Mar. 2013

2. Michael Hoefer, Nancy Rytina, and Bryan C. Baker, "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2008"

Feb. 2009

3. Michael Hoefer, Nancy Rytina, and Christopher Campbell, "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2005"

(Aug. 2006

Notes:

*Estimates were not developed by the United States Department of Homeland Security in 2004, so we used their 2005 estimates.

**Supplemental documents of unauthorized immigrant populations from 1990-2000, released by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS): "Illegal Alien Resident Population"

Dec. 2001

IV. Distribution by Age and Gender (2012) of Immigrants Living in the United States Illegally

Distribution by Age and Gender, 2012

Age	Male	Female	Total (both genders)	Percent of Age Group
under 18 years	580,000	530,000	1,120,000	10%
18-24 years	880,000	540,000	1,410,000	12%
25-34 years	2,050,000	1,600,000	3,660,000	32%
35-44 years	1,750,000	1,570,000	3,320,000	29%
45-54 years	650,000	750,000	1,400,000	12%
55 years and over	190,000	330,000	520,000	5%
Total (all ages)	6,100,000	5,330,000	11,430,000	100%
Percent of Gender Group	53%	47%	100%

Sources:

1. Bryan Baker and Nancy Rytina, "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2012"

Mar. 2013

IV. Top 20 Jobs Held (2008) by Immigrants Living in the United States Illegally

Top 20 Jobs Held, 2008

Top 20 Occupations*	# of Immigrant Workers in the US Illegally	Total # of All Workers	% of Immigrants in the US Illegally in Total Work Force
1. Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons	131,000	325,000	40%
2. Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers and tapers	94,000	255,000	37%
3. Roofers	76,000	246,000	31%
4. Miscellaneous agricultural workers	269,000	910,000	30%
5. Helpers, construction trades	52,000	184,000	28%
6. Dishwashers	101,000	364,000	28%
7. Construction laborers	556,000	2,055,000	27%
8. Maids and housekeepers	417,000	1,555,000	27%
9. Cement Masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers	29,000	109,000	27%
10. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders	96,000	369,000	26%
11. Grounds maintenance workers	356,000	1,413,000	25%
12. Packers and packagers, hand	119,000	504,000	24%
13. Butchers, poultry and fish processing workers	71,000	305,000	23%
14. Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers	68,000	306,000	22%
15. Painters, construction and maintenance	173,000	791,000	22%
16. Parking lot attendants	21,000	100,000	21%
17. Chefs and head cooks	75,000	377,000	20%
18. Sewing machine operators	49,000	248,000	20%
19. Refuse and recyclable material collectors	22,000	112,000	19%
20. Cooks	427,000	2,219,000	19%
Other "unauthorized" occupations**	3,120,000	34,979,000	9%
All other occupations	1,928,000	106,407,000	2%
Total, Civilian Labor Force (with an occupation)	8,258,000	154,135,000	5%
Top 20 Occupations*	# of Immigrant Workers in the US Illegally	Total # of All Workers	% of Immigrants in the US Illegally in Total Work Force

Sources and notes:

Sources:

1. D'Vera Cohn and Jeffrey S. Passel,"Pew Hispanic Center Research Report: A Portrait of Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States,"

(1.82MB), Apr. 14, 2009

2. Jeffrey S. Passel, "Pew Hispanic Center Research Report: The Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U.S.: Estimates Based on the March 2005 Current Population Survey,"

Mar. 7, 2006

Notes:

*Occupations included in the Top 20 Occupations with High Shares of Immigrants in the United States Illegally table have at least 100,000 workers nationally and more than three times the national share of unauthorized immigrant workers.

**"Unauthorized" occupations have a higher percentage of workers who are unauthorized immigrants than the national average but do not qualify for a separate listing.