http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration...igrated-us-2008

WASHINGTON D.C.--The number of Filipinos immigrating to the United States posted a significant decline last year, according to the latest Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report.

However, a separate DHS report released the same day showed the number of Filipino immigrants who became naturalized American citizens rose in 2008.

"Legal immigration increased 5 percent, from 1,052,415 in 2007 to 1,107,126 in 2008," the DHS reported.

Despite the overall rise, the number of Filipinos immigrating to the US fell from 74,606 in 2006 to 72,596 the following year to 54,030 in 2008.

The Philippines slid from the third biggest source of immigrants in the US, overtaken by India despite a slight decrease in their own numbers during the same period.

Mexico remained the top source of immigrants followed by China.

"The number of new LPRs (legal permanent residents) that were born in the Philippines decreased as a result of a decline in the use of recaptured visa numbers made available in the employment-based third preference class," the report said.

Decline due to drop in job-based visas
Family-sponsored immigrants represented 65 percent of new "green card" holders. Employment-based preferences accounted for 15 percent of the total.

Visa recapturing, where Congress sets a numerical target tapping unused immigrant visas assigned to certain countries, had benefited mainly Filipino nurses and health care professionals.

But since the quota was filled up, Congress has not moved to extend visa recapturing.

California remained the top choice for the new immigrants, accounting for 22 percent of fresh LPRs in 2008.

Following behind are New York, Florida, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois.

But by metropolitan region, the bulk of new immigrants preferred the New York-New Jersey area, followed by the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana area, Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, and the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area.

The new immigrants were likely to be women, married, between 25 to 44 years old.

Browning of America
But more Filipino immigrants became American citizens last year.

From 40,500 in 2006, the numbers slid to 38,830 in 2007 before spiking to 58,792 in 2008.

Immigrants from Mexico and India top the naturalized American citizens.

Despite the higher number, the percentage of Filipinos who've become American citizens actually declined compared to the total 1,046,539 naturalized citizens last year - the biggest number ever in a single year, according to the DHS.

The agency attributed the jump to the large volume of applications submitted in 2007 ahead of a hefty increase in naturalization fees. They noted the number applications fell to 525,000 in 2008.

"Asia was the leading region of origin of new citizens in every year from 1976 to 2006 (except 1996-2000)," the report said.

But the DHS said that "beginning in 2007, naturalizations among North American-born immigrants again exceeded those of Asian-born immigrants."

"Green card" holders who were naturalized last year waited an average of 9 years before being granted citizenship. African-born immigrants spent the least time at 6 years and those born in North America the longest at 12 years.

Again, California, Florida and New York topped the areas where these new American citizens live.

why bother come to US with it's present problems & high unemployment..worse since the GREAT DEPRESSION.

CALIFORNIA ROCKS!

I live in LA-- we became US citizens in 1975.. a long time. I've seen this country changed. I had culture shock when I returned after living in London-- bet I'll feel the same when I visit London now.. I saw england changed,too whilst I was there.

I'm glad I'm here though to witness Obama's presidency.

1975 to 1983 was worse then now and that was 40 years after THE GREAT DEPRESSION. And so many people still came while the US was calculating the MISERY INDEX that amnesty was needed to normalize those people during the Reagan era turn around.

maybe,Iwas younger then, that I really didn't noticed it. besides, I moved to London--just in time for thatcher's election.

Reagan,I know most believed he had the answers & it worked for awhile-- but now, the US is in a mess bec of Reaganomics. The Repugs didn't know when it was time to change tactics. But I still say-- I've never seen Americans disgruntled like this till now..
to think-- we were already here during Watergate..as it unfolded.

There were no internet blogs or message boards with people saying woe is me. There was no 24 hour news media and only 1 talk radio station which was about a third sports talk back then. America was held hostage by Iranian "students". That event lead to the creation of the Nightline news cast and the beginning of the 24 hour news blocs which came to be filled b today by people whinning about how bad they have it.

In 1979 Californians could only buy gas every other day. People literally spent hours in gas lines and pushed their cars to the pumps to save drops of gas.

Unemployment was higher then it is now. Inflation was much higher. Gold prices where at such a high level they have only came back to that level when it looked like the US would lose the Iraq War as bad as it did the Vietnam War. Federal bonds and interest was being offered at 15%, compared to less then 1% now in order to try to get people to invest in America. In every measure except a recent dow jones index drop in the stock market, it had already dropped in 1972 and did not recover until 1983, America was worse of then today. Yet people still came.

America represents hope especially in bad times.

The US, when compared to countries in the Middle East, don't have restrictive practices that hold women hostage by their religion; third world nations still view the US as a place of opportunity who have citizens from their countries that risk their lives trying to get past the US borders; China, no matter how much of an economic power it is becoming, has the second largest amount of immigrants to the US.

The economy may look bad for the time being, but because the world sees America as a land of opportunity and because the US has a history of making it out of economic situations like these, people from all over the world have faith that they can do better in the US than they can in their own homeland.

There's probably more people out there in the world that would go to the US, even in these tough economic times, if they had the means to do so.

GOOD TO KNOW.. 1979???? I was in london-- & for me those were halcyon days-- as I get to know that city. I was so detached from America,I must admit. but it wasn't easy in Uk either-- it was under the Labour goverment still under James Callaghan.. with strikes galore esp the Miners.Why, Margaret thatcher got in--I recall my Brit friends keen on her-- I just listened as I didn't know anything about Brit politics-- YET.(later on I was just as opinionated as the nextBrit--as I earned it )

i DID return to LA for awhile though-- in 1980..I still remember leaving London-- so quiet & empty as Iwent to heathrow.. this huge plane 747-- there was like only 15 of us passengers.. I didn't know what to do with myself in this whole cabin.

no wonder-- when I arrrived in LA-- the Iranian hostage situation was happening in London.. the end of Carter-- & the 'in' for Reagan..I was here when he got inaugurated & shot.. then I returned to UK.

But in Uk-- I experienced all these IRA bombings-- harrod's, Hyde Park Corner, the demo against Gandhi( sAw it scary) with the Golden Temple-- next day--she was dead.

shi hite Muslims-Gaddafi.. I lived close by Hussein's headquarters in So Kensington.. didn't know who they were..

anyway-- Obama is making quite a splash in London right now-- with these huge demos in the CITY..shoot, we should have that in Wall Street.. I find Europeans practice more of their human rights than US.. they don't mess around.

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i was born in and hav lived all my life in nyc/long island so far.

just sold a property i was renting out to mostly Philipino immigrants, in queens. i could not keep tenants. they were losing jobs and stuff.

on a positive note, the eldest Fili sister there was a nursing administrator and was apparently still bringing in heaps of nursing students on visas into ny.

the us economy sucks really bad. are they talking alot about all the us shootings, in the Filippines?

i am now on a road trip relocating down the east coast. i'm so glad to finally leave nyc. sure, the capital of the world and my parents still live there but i'm so glad to be out of gloomy cold winters and dirty crowded housing.

it's better in Canada as they have a better,well-regulated banking system-- though they are suffering too Not as bad as US.

there's a huge population of filipinos In brit columbia-- but not like the Chinese & East Indians. I might as well be in HK when I go to Vancouver.. recently, I noticed the Koreans are encroaching there too.

I just love Indian food-- so I look forward to my visits.

US econmy sucks-- big time!

Poor ngayon ang USA kaya hindi ganon attractive... BUT the US embassy here in Manila is very strict with Filipinos going to the USA

i have cousins in canada they say it's in recession there.