Idaho Immigration Ratings

Hispanic Population

148,000

% of State Population

10%

Undocumented Residents

35,000

View Ratings Information

Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians account for growing shares of the economy and electorate in Idaho. Immigrants make up 5.6% of the state’s population, and more than 30% of them are naturalized U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote. Immigrants are not only integral to the state’s economy as workers, but also account for billions of dollars in tax revenue and consumer purchasing power.

Latinos and Asians wield $3.2 billion in consumer purchasing power, and the businesses they own had sales and receipts of $635.7 million and employed nearly 6,000 people at last count.

U.S. Senatorial Voting Record:
Immigration Legislation Immigration Reform

Senator Crapo (R)

Senator Risch (R)

	HS News Grading
Votes	Crapo	Risch
Overall State Grade:

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC, formed in 2003 is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.

← Previous State Back to State Ratings Next State →

View State Immigration Ratings

State Facts

Immigrants and their children are growing shares of Idaho’s population and electorate.

The foreign-born share of Idaho’s population rose from 2.9% in 1990,to 5.0% in 2000, to 5.6% in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Idaho was home to 83,904 immigrants in 2007.
34.8% of immigrants (or 29,215 people) in Idaho were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2007—meaning that they are eligible to vote.
4.7% (or 31,021) of registered voters in Idaho were “New Americans”—naturalized citizens or the U.S.-born children of immigrants who were raised during the current era of immigration from Latin America and Asia which began in 1965—according to an analysis of 2006 Census Bureau data by Rob Paral & Associates.

Nearly 1 in 9 Idahoans are Latino or Asian.

The Latino share of Idaho’s population grew from 5.3% in 1990,7 to 7.9% in 2000,8 to 9.8% (or 146,941 people) in 2007.9 The Asian share of the population grew from 0.8% in 1990,10 to 0.9% in 2000, to 1.1% (or 16,493 people) in 2007,12 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Latinos accounted for 4.7% (or 30,000) of Idaho voters in the 2008 elections, and Asians 0.9% (6,000), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In Idaho, more than four-in-five (or 84%) children in immigrant families are U.S. citizens, according to the Center for Social and Demographic Analysis at the University of Albany.

Latino and Asian entrepreneurs and consumers add billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to Idaho’s economy.

The 2009 purchasing power of Latinos in Idaho totaled $2.5 billion—an increase of 527.4% since 1990. Asians buying power totaled $650.6 million—an increase of 477.4% since 1990, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.
Idaho’s 2,775 Latino-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $351.8 million and employed 3,149 people in 2002, the last year for which data is available. The state’s 1,111 Asian-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $283.9 million and employed 2,837 people in 2002, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners.

Immigrants are integral to Idaho’s economy as workers and taxpayers.

Immigrants comprised 7.1% of the state’s workforce in 2007 (or 53,930 workers), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Unauthorized immigrants comprised roughly 3.1% of the state’s workforce (or 25,000 workers) in 2008, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center.
If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Idaho, the state would lose $428.8 million in economic activity, $190.4 million in gross state product, and approximately 3,060 jobs, even accounting for adequate market adjustment time, according to a report by the Perryman Group.

Immigrants are integral to Idaho’s economy as students.

Idaho’s 2,147 foreign students contributed $42.6 million to the state’s economy in tuition, fees, and living expenses for the 2008-2009 academic year, according to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA).

Naturalized Citizens Excel Educationally.

In Idaho, 22.0% of foreign-born persons who were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2007 had a bachelor’s or higher degree, compared to 12.1% of noncitizens. At the same time, only 27.0% of naturalized citizens lacked a high-school diploma, compared to 50.3% of noncitizens.
The number of immigrants in Idaho with a college degree increased by 67.5% between 2000 and 2007, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.
In Idaho, 77.6% of all children between the ages of 5 and 17 in families that spoke a language other than English at home also spoke English “very well” as of 2007.