Truth in Immigration

MYTH: Most undocumented immigrants are Mexican adult males illegally crossing the border.

There are between 11.5 and 12 million unauthorized migrants in 2006. The calculations reported suggest that roughly 4.5 to 6 million (or 40 to 50% of the total) entered the country legally through ports of entry. (Pew Hispanic Center, May 2006)
There were 5.4 million adult males in the unauthorized population in 2005, accounting for 49% of the total. There were 3.9 million adult females accounting for 35% of the population. In addition, there were 1.8 million children in the unauthorized population, or 16% of the total. Among adults, males make up 58% of the unauthorized population while females make up 42%. (Pew Hispanic Center, March 2006)
About 56 percent of the unauthorized population was from Mexico, and another 22 percent from elsewhere in Latin America. The rest come from Asia, Europe, Canada, Africa, and elsewhere. (Immigration Policy Center, Spring 2007)