Washington: An estimated 2.2 lakh Indians have made the United States their home illegally with a whopping 81 per cent increase in their number in last seven years, according to the latest official figures.
The dramatic growth in the number of Indians has come about even as immigration from Mexico continues to dominate the unauthorised population growth, according to the Department of Homeland Security's latest statistics on 'illegal immigrants'.
The estimated population of Indians living illegally in the United States was 2.2 lakh in 2007 compared to 1.2 lakh in the year 2000, thus recording one of the highest percentage increases.
An estimated 118 lakh unauthorised immigrants were living in America in January 2007 compared to 85 lakh in 2000. The unauthorised population increased by 33 lakh between 2000 and 2007 while the annual average increase during this period was 4.7 lakh.
Nearly 42 lakh (35 per cent) of the total 118 lakh unauthorised residents in 2007 had entered in 2000 or later. An estimated 70 lakh (59 per cent) were from Mexico.
California remained the leading state of residence for the illegal population in 2007 with 28 lakh, followed by Texas with 17 lakh and then Florida with nearly 10 lakh.
California's share of the national total declined from 30 per cent in 2000 to 24 per cent in 2007 as the greatest percentage increases of unauthorised resident population occurred in Georgia (120 per cent), Arizona (62 per cent) and Texas (57 per cent).
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