One Mexican in every 11 emigrates to U.S.

One in every 11 people born in Mexico and still alive is a U.S. resident, and about half of these immigrants crossed the border illegally, according to a comprehensive report released Tuesday.

In the Pew Hispanic Center study of immigration trends, analysts estimated that in March 2004 about 10.3 million immigrants [illegal aliens] from around the world were living in the United States without legal documents to be here -- some 24 percent of them in California. About 10.6 million people born in Mexico live in the U.S. -- about 5.9 million of them illegally.

...said Jeffery Passel, the study's author. "This (study) shows that not only are they not going home, but more are coming....

Most undocumented immigrants [illegal aliens] are Mexicans with little education who are trying to escape the poverty in their native country. And though they make incremental strides, many never achieve economic success, with about 27 percent lingering in poverty -- twice the rate for native-born Americans....

According to the Pew report, more than half of the 10.3 million illegal immigrants came from Mexico and an additional 24 percent from other Latin American countries.

Undocumented immigrants [illegal aliens] are parents to 3.1 million U.S.-born children and 1.6 million undocumented children [they are documented - as "anchor babies" - ed.]. Those children -- many of whom attend public schools -- account for more than one-third of the illegal immigrant population....

"This is costing us billions in health care, the criminal justice system and education," said Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks, who advocates a more stringent employment-verification system. "You can't run and stick your head in the sand."

Desert Invasion - U.S.

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