Written By : William Teach

If we were being uncharitable, we could probably assign a motive to the Washington Post for publishing this story, but, hey, it’s early morning, and the article seems to avoid partisan rancor, so

A deep recession and tougher border enforcement have led to a sharp decline in the number of immigrants entering the United States illegally in the past five years, contributing to the first significant reversal in the growth of their numbers in two decades, according to a new report by the Pew Hispanic Center.

The number of illegal immigrants entering the United States plunged by almost two-thirds between 2005 and 2009, a dramatic shift after years of growth in the population, according to the report.

In the first half of the decade, an average of 850,000 people a year entered the United States without authorization, according to the report, released Wednesday. As the economy plunged into recession between 2007 and 2009, that number fell to 300,000.

The question the Washington Post and the report do not answer is how much the drop was due to the recession, and how much to enforcement, including the sections of the walls that have been built. Yet, I do think all of us who have spoken out against illegal immigration can give ourselves a pat on the back for making the issue a big issue, and getting the government to at least Do Something.

But we still have work to do. Three hundred thousand a year is still way, way, way too much. We will never be able to stop the flow, unless we become an insular and isolated nation, which we do not want (except for a few wacko few, of course).

The drop has contributed to an 8 percent decrease in the estimated number of illegal immigrants living in the United States, from a peak of 12 million in 2007 to 11.1 million in 2009, the report said. Of the 11.1 million, 60 percent came from Mexico, 20 percent from other parts of Latin America, 11 percent from Asia, and 8 percent from Africa, Europe, Canada and elsewhere. The new figures come amid a heated national debate over efforts by Arizona and other jurisdictions to identify people who are here illegally and push to have them deported.

OK:

1. The drop can be associate for the most part to not a reduction in the flow of illegals in, per se, but by them realizing there are no jobs, and leaving
2. Wait, there are illegal Canadians? Are they here for the hockey?
3. How many of those from Asia, Africa, and elsewhere are associated with radical Islam?
4. Perhaps the government should subpoena the people who did the research for the report and make them say where all the illegals are that they surveyed, so they can be deported.

Finally

“Life’s gotten pretty miserable for immigrants in the United States,” he said, noting that even for legal immigrants, many of whom have relatives who are unauthorized, the increased scrutiny has been stressful.

Well, people who associate with law breakers should feel stress from increased scrutiny.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach

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