Woodrow-Lafield, Karen A. 2002. Invited Comment on “Hispanic Population 1990- 2000: Growth and Change,” Population Research and Policy Review, Special Issue on the 2000 Census 21 (1-2): 129-134.



This comment adds to the review of trends in the Hispanic population over 1990-2000 by addressing legal and unauthorized immigration of Hispanics. The high 2000 Census count prompted investigation of net immigration in the 1990s and unauthorized immigration was quickly suspected of having been greater in the 1990s than officially allowed. Researchers face many questions of quantities of settlers-residents, settlers of recent entry, unauthorized migrants successful in crossing, persons who fail in their unauthorized migration attempt, and apprehensions of unauthorized migrants. Very little research was done to estimate unauthorized migration over 1997-2000. The majority of unauthorized migrants are Hispanic, although little is known about unauthorized immigrants of non-Mexican origins. A credible share for Mexicans is around 55-60 percent of the unauthorized population. As scholars conduct their research and policymakers evaluate immigration policies, their efforts are complicated by changing contexts, but the pervasiveness of the ideal of America shines with clarity among whites and nonwhites, Hispanics and nonHispanics, natives and foreign-born, individuals speaking English or not, and families and others.

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