Two thirds of the 11.1 million illegal immigrants in the United States have been in the country for 10 years or more, burrowing in to become lifers in America, according to Census Bureau figures.
A new analysis of the data from Pew Research Center found that illegals still in America 10 years or longer has jumped to 66 percent.
Just 11 years ago, 41 percent of illegals had been in America that long, showing that once they cross the border and get a pass into the nation, they are here to stay.
And the median number of years for an illegal immigrant to be in America is an amazing 13.6 years, the highest ever.
“Unauthorized immigrants increasingly are likely to have been in the U.S. for 10 years or more – 66 percent in 2014 compared with 41 percent in 2005,” said Pew’s analysis of federal data.
Those here for just five years or less has actually decreased, the result of a leveling off in illegal immigration, said Pew.
“A declining share has lived in the U.S. for less than five years; only 14 percent had been in the U.S. for less than five years in 2014, compared with 31 percent in 2005. This overall change has been fueled by the decline in new unauthorized immigrants, especially those from Mexico,” said Pew.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
