Immigration | Don’t fence us in | Economist.com
But the fears can hardly be dismissed. In New Jersey, for example, the illegal population more than doubled during the 1990s to some 221,000, and has since grown to perhaps 425,000. In Georgia, the increase in the 1990s was some 571%, to 228,000, according to census figures (but could exceed 400,000 today). Atlanta is one of the so-called “new gateways” for immigration—sprawling cities, with abundant low-end jobs that are a magnet for immigrants. Much of America’s south-east (see map) has recently seen immigration levels surprising to anyone who thinks only in terms of the Mexican border.
One result is a swathe of local measures aimed at illegal immigrants. A law in Georgia, for example, imposes a 5% fee on non-citizens transferring money abroad; in Virginia, state workers are now required to verify the legal status of anyone applying for social benefits. In Arizona, voters in 2004 approved Proposition 200, which requires proof of citizenship before receiving state-provided public benefits or casting a vote. Thanks to Peggy Sadler for this post.
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