The topic of illegal immigration has attracted the opinions of almost everyone in the entire country, though it hasn’t attracted quite as much controversy in the 15 states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America. The issue of undocumented immigrants in the country has no correct answer; both sides for and against have valid concerns which need to be addressed. However, for the past several years, Americans generally seemed to have little issue with illegal immigrants in their lives, and while protests against their presence did take place, it never reached the furor it has managed today. The reason behind this increased interest in undocumented immigrants lies in the fact that it was one of the cornerstones of Donald Trump’s campaign and perhaps one of the most important reasons behind him being elected and gaining support from the conservative states.
After he was elected, many thought that Trump’s promises were just words to get him elected and that he did not intend to enforce them at all. However, recent events have shown that this school of thought was in reality simply futile hope, and Trump is more bent on maintaining his ideas than even the most optimistic supporter would have thought. In fact, while Trump recently showed an openness to work along with those illegal immigrants who were law abiding and had been in the country for several years, the reality is that very recently, new policies were released under the Trump administration that are so wide-ranging that they can lead to the deportation of the entire 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
Immigrants aren’t an exception as much as they are an integral part of the identity of the United States. Immigrants have always been present in vast numbers in the country, with 2.2 million immigrants present in the US in 1850, which saw them make up around 10% of the population. This ratio has slightly increased in the next 165 years, with immigrants now making up around 13.3% of the population, as confirmed by Migration Policy. In 2014, 1.2 million immigrants entered the country, with Indians leading the pack.
Illegal immigrants tend to stay in similar places, which is why it is not really a surprise to find out that 59% of the total illegal immigrants in the country reside in just 6 states. You can learn more about the areas preferred by illegal immigrants in 25 Cities with the Most Illegal Immigrants in America. Furthermore, while many people have a perception of illegal immigrants simply cropping up one day and stealing their jobs and adding to the burden on the economy, the truth is that around 60% of the illegal immigrants in the United States have actually been in the country for at least 10 years. While many may consider that removing illegal immigrants will actually benefit the country, I see little evidence to support the belief that uprooting families that have been living in the country for several years and have established a proper life here will have a positive impact instead of a negative impact. To show what an impact immigrants have made in the country, “A Day without Immigrants” was carried out February 16, where immigrants stayed home instead of showing up to work to demonstrate how the country would suffer if immigrants weren’t present. Of course, they also had to face repercussions with many of those participating in the demonstration being fired by their bosses for missing work.
Of course, these are issues that the states with low illegal immigrant populations do not have to worry about. So which states have the fewest illegal immigrants? We used Migration Policy’s report on the number of illegal immigrants in each state. However, we did not just select the state which had the smallest populations of illegal immigrants. After all, while Rhode Island may have only 29,000 illegal immigrants, due to its low total population, it has a high number of illegal immigrants per capita. Hence, we determined the illegal immigrants per capita of each state, by dividing the number of illegal immigrants with the total population to come up with a more accurate ranking of states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America.
15. Louisiana
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 1,410
The illegal immigrant workforce may actually be integral to the economy of the state, as reports show that they earn over a billion dollars while contributing $136 million in taxes alone, showing their significance to the state. Around 86% of the illegal population is of a working age, showing that they are focusing on earning a living and providing for themselves.
f11photo/Shutterstock.com
14. Wisconsin
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 1,229
Most of the illegal immigrants in Wisconsin, up to three-quarters, are from Mexico, which is unsurprising considering Mexicans make up more than half of all illegal immigrants in America. Laying credence to my statement that most illegal immigrants have been in the country for many years, 81% of those in Wisconsin have been present in the country for over 5 years.
Suzanne Tucker/Shutterstock.com
13. Iowa
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 1,148
Mexicans and Guatemalans make up the majority of the population in the state, where nearly 90% of the population is below the age of 50, and, therefore, is of working age.
Copyright: benkrut / 123RF Stock Photo
12. Pennsylvania
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 1,070
Apart from Mexicans and Guatemalans, Indians and Chinese illegal immigrants have a significant presence in the state as well, where nearly 70% of the illegal population has stayed for more than 5 years at least.
Copyright: appalachianviews / 123RF Stock Photo
11. Wyoming
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 1,014
We are continuing our list of states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America with Wyoming that has one of the lowest illegal populations even in totality, with around 6,000 illegal immigrants. The Federation of American Immigration Reform estimated that the illegal immigrant population in the state cost around $59 million a year, with the main cost ( in excess of $31 million) being spent on the education of the children of those who had illegally moved to the country.
Jake Eveler/Shutterstock.com
10. Kentucky
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 1,014
Once again, it is Mexico and Guatemala that has contributed most of the illegal immigrants in Kentucky, though it still one of the states with the lowest illegal immigrant populations in the country. 7% of the population is now married to a United States citizen, which provides an entirely new conundrum, and 93% of the population is enrolled in schools.
f11photo/Shutterstock.com
9. Michigan
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 977
India is the second biggest source of illegal immigrants in Michigan, following Mexico. Over 91% of the population that is eligible for education is enrolled in schools, and nearly a fifth have at least attained a high school diploma.
Theresa Scarbrough/Shutterstock.com
8. Alaska
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 944
Due to the effect of immigration in Alaska, one of the states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America on our list, it is reported that up to 90 languages are used within the public school district of Anchorage. Furthermore, due to Alaska’s border with Russia, another prime route for illegal immigration is present, which makes it surprising that Alaska has managed to keep its undocumented population to a bare minimum.
mffoto/Shutterstock.com
7. Missouri
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 935
Nearly half of Missouri’s undocumented population is made up of Mexicans, while Guatemala, China, and India also show a strong presence. Compared to other states, the figure of 84% enrolled in schools may be a cause for concern, though it is also important to note that 20% of the illegal population has managed to attain at least a bachelor’s degree, professional degree or a graduate.
6. Mississippi
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 836
More than two-thirds of the illegal immigrants in Mississippi, the next in line on our list of states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America are Mexicans, and nearly 75% of the population has been in the US for more than 5 years, with 10% having been present for more than two decades. The demographic of the undocumented population is overwhelmingly male, with only 36% being females. A quarter of the population has managed at least a high school diploma.
Copyright: vinoverde / 123RF Stock Photo
5. Ohio
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 715
Around 40% of the population in Ohio that ranked 5th on our list of states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America has been in the country for over a decade, while 90% of the school going population has been enrolled in schools. While Ohio has a low illegal immigrant per capita ratio, making it one of the states with the lowest illegal immigrant populations, the said population has giving importance to education, which is why 23% have a bachelor’s or professional degree.
aceshot1/Shutterstock.com
4. New Hampshire
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 674
Asians and Latinos make up most of the illegal population in the state, and are actually important to the economy of the state, next in line on our list of states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America, having contributed $8.8 million in taxes in 2012, with the majority being from property taxes and the remaining from excise taxes. It is further estimated that if these illegal immigrants were provided with lawful residence, they would pay taxes amounting to around $9.7 million.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
3. South Dakota
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 578
Despite a very low illegal immigrant population, it is estimated that they have a high cost to the state, next on our list of states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America, according to the aforementioned Federation for American Immigration reform, which stated that they cost the taxpayers over $33 million, mainly due to public education for the children of illegal immigrants.
2. Maine
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 376
The second place on our list of states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America is Maine that has such a small population of illegal immigrants that most organizations have deemed it to be not worth spending resources in order to determine the demographics of the undocumented population. Hence, with a population which has less than 5,000 people (some say only one thousand), details of their background, their educational accomplishments, and whether they have integrated seamlessly into their community are not available.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
1. West Virginia
Illegal immigrants per 10,000 people: 328
Despite its large population, West Virginia has less than 6,000 illegal immigrants which is why it tops the list of 15 states with the fewest illegal immigrants in America. Apparently, the reason behind this is that West Virginia simply doesn’t have the low-paying, over-the-table jobs that immigrants tend to gravitate towards, which is why they prefer other states.
Ortis/Shutterstock.com
