Some 61 percent of the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants live in just 20 major metro areas, virtually all of which are so-called “sanctuary cities” that block federal authorities from deporting those charged or convicted of other crimes.
A Pew Research Center report said that 6.8 million live in the 20 cities, including Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, Dallas and New York, all sanctuary cities. Of the 20, Phoenix, Houston and Orlando don’t qualify as sanctuary cities, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, which has the most authoritative list.
By comparison, only 36 percent of the nation’s population lives in those cities.
Pew found a simple reason for the concentrations of illegals in the cities: they want to be around other immigrants.
Most of the United States’ 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants live in just 20 major metropolitan areas pic.twitter.com/HwD9qcmA3Z
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) February 9, 2017
While illegals make up about one-in-four of all foreign-born immigrants, some cities have a higher concentration, said Pew:
They make up a somewhat higher share of immigrants in the Houston (37%), Dallas (37%), Atlanta (33%), Phoenix (37%), Las Vegas (35%), Denver (37%) and Austin (34%) metro areas. They make up a somewhat lower share of all immigrants in the New York (19%), Miami (18%), San Francisco (17%) and San Jose (17%) metro areas.
President Trump and House and Senate Republicans have promised to shut off billions of dollars in federal funding to cities that block immigration officials from access to illegals in jail or charged or convicted of crimes.
That effort will be super-charged now that the Senate has approved Jeff Sessions, an illegal immigration critic, to be head of the Justice Department.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
