Many people in our state and across the U.S. view Texas as being tough on immigration. We often hear about the border patrol catching people trying to come to the U.S. or police arresting individuals who don't have proper documentation to be in the country. While there was a great surge in immigration to the U.S. more than 10 years ago, studies have shown that there are dramatically fewer people coming into Texas illegally today.
Currently, more undocumented immigrants are leaving the United States than are coming in to it. And here, only 35 percent of the people who have left the state since 2007 were the result of law enforcement action. Forty-five percent left on their own. In 2010, a study found that only 55,000 people immigrated to Texas illegally. While that may still sound like a lot, in 2000 the number was more than twice that. Undocumented immigration hasn't been this low since the 1980s.
If you have been following the news, you know that immigration reform is a hot topic at the national level of government right now. As some lawmakers and the president push to make the path to immigration easier, the study's co-author thinks this report will only help their case. As our readers may also know, however, Texas lawmakers are among the more vocally opposed to immigration reform. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Ultimately, many people who immigrate here have a goal of becoming U.S. citizens. But right now, that is not an easy process. Fortunately, there are people willing to help. An experienced immigration attorney can help guide an individual or a family through the naturalization process toward citizenship.
Source: my SA, "Undocumented immigration in Texas falls to its lowest level since the 1980s," Jeremy Roebuck, Feb. 20, 2013
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