US Immigration News 2012: Immigrants Living in US Down; Mexican Migrants to US Sharply Declines Due to Various Factors, Says Study

According to new numbers, unauthorized immigrants living in the US has remained unchanged compared to figures from the last couple years.

Data released by Pew Research Center reported that an estimated 11.1 million immigrants lived in the US by March 2011, which is down from the 11.2 million from 2010 but ties from 2009 figures.

The estimates released by Pew Research also stated the 2011 numbers are a "continuation" of the sharp decline in the Hispanic population since it peaked in 2007.

The 2007 peak was 12 million, and has since decreased.

A reason for the decline in numbers is due to a decrease of immigrants from Mexico, who has been the largest source of U.S. migrants. Pew noted a decline in Mexican migrants in a report released in April this year.

"After four decades that brought 12 million current immigrants-most of whom came illegally-the net migration flow from Mexico to the United States has stopped and may have reversed..." according to analysis of government data from Mexico and the U.S. gathered by Pew Hispanic Center.

The April report added that the standstill could be a result from a weak U.S. job market, rise in deportations, and dangers in crossing the border, among many other factors.

In 2000, about 770,000 immigrants arrived from Mexico, but by 2010, the numbers diminished to about 140,000.

The Pew Hispanic Center's estimated were from data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly survey in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau with 55,000 households participating.