New Mexico Immigration Ratings

Hispanic Population

873,000

% of State Population

44%

Undocumented Residents

80,000

View Ratings Information

Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians account for growing shares of the economy and electorate in New Mexico. Immigrants make up nearly one-in-ten New Mexicans, and 32.5% of them are naturalized U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote. “New Americans”—immigrants and the children of immigrants—account for 3.8% of registered voters in the state.

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. Moreover, Latinos and Asians wield $19 billion in consumer purchasing power, and the businesses they own had sales and receipts of $5.3 million and employed more than 52,000 people at last count.

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

Senator Bingaman (D)

Senator Udall (D)

	HS News Grading
Votes	Bingaman	Udall
Border Security- Vote to Deny funding to complete 700 miles of border fence.(S.Amdt 1399 to S.Amdt 1373 to HR 2892)	A	A
Deportation- Vote for Funding of Sanctuary Policies for Unauthorized Immigrants.(SAmdt.2630 to HR 2847)	A	A
Workforce- Vote to NOT mandate that all companies with federal contracts verify all employees through E-verify. (S.Amdt 1371 to S.Amdt 1373 to HR 2892)	A	A
Workforce-Vote Not to extend E-Verify for six years (S.Amdt 604 to HR 1105)	A	A
Co-Sponsored DREAM ACT- Development Relief, and education for Alien Minors Act of 2009.( S. 729)	A	F
Overall State Grade:	A

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.

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State Facts

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

The foreign-born share of New Mexico’s population rose from 5.3% in 1990, to 8.2% in 2000, to 9.3% in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. New Mexico was home to 182,936 immigrants in 2007, which is nearly the total population of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
32.5% of immigrants (or 59,482 people) in New Mexico were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2007—meaning that they are eligible to vote.
3.8% (or 36,122) of registered voters in New Mexico 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 half of all New Mexicans are Latino or Asian.

The Latino share of New Mexico’s population grew from 38.2% in 1990, to 42.1% in 2000, to 44.4% (or 874,642 people) in 2007. The Asian share of the population grew from 0.9% in 1990, to 1.1% in 2000, to 1.4% (or 27,579 people) in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Latinos accounted for 34.2% (or 289,000) of New Mexico voters in the 2008 elections, and Asians 1.4% (14,000), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The number of Latino and Asian voters was more than double the margin of victory (125,590 votes) by which Barack Obama defeated John McCain in New Mexico.
In New Mexico, more than four-in-five (or 84% of) children in immigrant families were U.S. citizens in 2007, according to the Center for Social and Demographic Analysis at the University of Albany.

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

The 2009 purchasing power of Latinos in New Mexico totaled $17.9 billion—an increase of 260.5% since 1990. Asian buying power totaled $1.1 billion—an increase of 492.3% since 1990, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.

New Mexico’s 29,708 Latino-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $4.7 billion and employed 44,896 people in 2002, the last year for which data is available. The state’s 2,364 Asian-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $631.3 million and employed 7,508 people in 2002, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners.

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

Immigrants comprised 11.6% of the state’s workforce in 2007 (or 109,575 workers), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Unauthorized immigrants in New Mexico contributed $64.7 million in sales, income, and property taxes to the state economy in 2004, according to a study by New Mexico Fiscal Policy Project.
Unauthorized immigrants comprised roughly 4.5% of the state’s workforce (or 40,000 workers) in 2008, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center.
If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from New Mexico, the state would lose $1.8 billion in economic activity, $809.1 million in gross state product, and approximately 12,239 jobs, even accounting for adequate market adjustment time, according to a report by the Perryman Group.

Immigrants are integral to New Mexico’s economy as students.

New Mexico’s 2,622 foreign students contributed $49.9 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 New Mexico, 21.9% of foreign-born persons who were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2007 had a bachelor’s or higher degree, compared to 11.2% of noncitizens. At the same time, only 32.7% of naturalized citizens lacked a high-school diploma, compared to 60.4% of noncitizens.
The number of immigrants in New Mexico with a college degree increased by 42.0% between 2000 and 2007, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.
In New Mexico, 81.0% 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.