Number of foreign born in Ill. falls slightly

WASHINGTON -- The wave of immigrants entering the United States slowed dramatically last year as the economy faltered and the government stepped up enforcement of immigration laws.

In Illinois, the estimated number of immigrants, or foreign born, fell by more than 5,000 from 2006 to 2007, a drop of 0.3 percent.

According to the Census Bureau, about 14 percent of the state's population was foreign born in 2006.

Estimates released Tuesday by the Census Bureau show that the nation added about a half million immigrants in 2007, down from more than 1.8 million the year before.

The immigration figures are from the 2007 American Community Survey, the government's annual survey of about 3 million households.