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Immigration by the numbers

Population of Mexican-born in US:
8.5 million (Mexico’s National Council of Populations, Sept. 2001)

Population of undocumented Mexicans in US:
3 million (Mexico’s National Council of Populations, Sept. 2001)

Percentage of US Latino population of Mexican origin:
58.5 (2000 US Census data, May 2001)

Number of people living in US of Mexican origin living in US:
20,640,711 (2000 US Census data, May 2001)

Number of Californians of Mexican origin:
8,455,926 (2000 US Census data)

Percentage of state population:
25 (2000 US Census data)

Number of illegal immigrants living in California:
2 million (INS Triennial Comprehensive Report on Immigration, May 1999)

Number of illegal immigrants living in the US:
7 to 8 million (adjusted 2000 Census figures, Oct 2001) 11 million (Northeastern University, 2001)

Growth in illegal immigrant population living in US each year (all nationalities):
275,000 (Center for Immigration Studies)

Number of Mexicans who make one or more round-trip journeys between US and Mexico per year:
800,000 to 1 million (Migration Policy Institute, Feb. 2001)

Number of Mexicans who come to settle permanently in the US each year:
300,000 (Migration Policy Institute, Feb. 2001)

Number of illegal Mexicans who come to live in the US permanently each year:
150,000 (INS Triennial Comprehensive Report on Immigration, May 1999)

Dollars sent to Mexico by Mexicans working in US each year:
$6 to $8 billion (Migration Policy Institute, Feb. 2001)

compiled by Todd Dayton