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Georgia a magnet for illegal aliens…fastest growing population in the nation

For the many who do not read the AJC….Saturday’s front page:

Georgia a magnet for illegals
Carlos Campos, Jim Tharpe – Staff
Saturday, August 19, 2006

Georgia has the fastest-growing illegal immigrant population in the nation, more than doubling in the last five years, according to a federal report released Friday.

From 2000-2005, Georgia’s population of illegal immigrants jumped to an estimated 470,000, an increase of 114 percent, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security report said.

The increase far eclipsed the state with the next-fastest growth — Arizona — which had an increase of 45 percent.

Georgia’s growth put it in a conspicious category, trailing only California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois and Arizona in total numbers of illegal immigrants. The report estimates there were almost 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States by January 2006. The majority, about 6 million, are from Mexico. El Salvador, Guatemala, India and China follow with about 1.4 million, making up about 13 percent of the illegal immigrant population.

Estimating the numbers of illegal immigrants is “challenging,” the report by the department’s Office of Immigration Statistics notes, because of the lack of concrete data. Estimates of the illegal immigrant population throughout the United States vary widely, often according to who’s compiling the numbers.

Congress remains in a stalemate over illegal immigration reform, unable to resolve key differences in House and Senate versions of a bill. As a result, states have been addressing the issue on a local level.

D.A. King of Marietta, an anti-illegal immigration activist, said he was not surprised by Friday’s numbers, but believes they are grossly underestimated.

“I believe the number to be well in excess of 20 million [1] [in the United States],” said King, president of The Dustin Inman Society.

A Zogby International poll conducted for the Journal-Constitution in late December showed that 80 percent of Georgians wanted the Legislature to tackle illegal immigration.

The figures released Friday could further galvanize public opinion against illegal immigration, said King, who lobbies for tougher anti-illegal immigration laws and enforcement. “This news will only increase the already high number of people in Georgia who have had enough of illegal immigration in our state.”

Read the rest here. [2]