You're in the In Denial - In Denial: Related Stories section

Immigration facts and figures

The Fresno Bee

Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010 | 12:01 AM

tool name

close
tool goes here

4,507 citations were issued for labor law violations in fiscal year 2008-09 for industries that commonly employ illegal immigrants, resulting in $9,467,455 in fines.

2,105 citations were issued for labor law violations from July 2005 to June 2009 for ag industry, resulting in $3,702,665 in fines.

8.3 million of the nation’s workers were composed of illegal immigrants, or 5.4% of the labor force, in 2008. In California, illegal immigrants account for 9.9% of the labor force.

0.2% of California’s total workforce comes from the day laborer market.

75% of farmworkers in the U.S. were born in Mexico.

Editor's note

- Join the conversation: Go here to comment on these stories.

- Most illegal immigrants, fearing deportation, agreed to speak only if The Bee identified them by their first names. Interviews in Spanish were conducted with help from professional interpreter Darlen Perez and others.

- The Bee follows Associated Press style, which favors "illegal immigrant" over "illegal alien" or "undocumented worker" as the most neutral and factual term.

- Bee staff writer Chris Collins reviewed dozens of studies from government agencies and advocacy groups with varying viewpoints as part of his research. Go here for a bibliography and collection of links.

10,000 people registered to work in the fields at TakeOurJobs.org, a campaign by the United Workers of America to show how few people are willing to work in agriculture.

10 people actually went to work in the fields.

OTHER FACTS

The 2007 median household income for illegal immigrants was $36,000, well below the $50,000 median household income for U.S.-born residents. Because illegal immigrant households tend to be bigger than households led by U.S.-born residents, there is even more of a gap between the median income per person.

Sources: California Economic and Employment Enforcement Coalition; Pew Hispanic Center; Public Policy Institute of California; National Agricultural Workers Survey; United Farm Workers of America

Join the conversation: Go here to comment on these stories.


Similar stories:

  • Valley ag leaders, Swearengin upbeat on Obama immigration plan

  • Farm labor shortage looms as young workers steer clear of agriculture

  • David Mas Masumoto: The language of reform

  • Labor and business reach rare agreement on immigration

  • Calif. farmers eager for immigration reform

The Bee's story-comment system is provided by Disqus. To read more about it, see our Disqus FAQ page. If you post comments, please be respectful of other readers. Your comments may be removed and you may be blocked from commenting if you violate our terms of service. Comments flagged by the system as potentially abusive will not appear until approved by a moderator.

more videos »
Visit our video index