South Carolina Immigration Ratings

Hispanic Population

168,000

% of State Population

Undocumented Residents

70,000

View Ratings Information

Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians account for large and growing shares of the economy and population in the state of South Carolina. Immigrants make up 4.3% of the state’s population and more than one-third of immigrants in South Carolina are naturalized U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote.

“New Americans”—immigrants and the children of immigrants— account for 1.3% of all registered voters in the state. Latinos and Asians wield more than $5 billion in consumer purchasing power. At last count, businesses owned by Latinos and Asians had sales and receipts of $2.8 billion and employed more than 20,000 people. At a time of economic recession, South Carolina can ill-afford to alienate such a critical component of its labor force, tax base, and business community.

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

Senator DeMint (R)

Senator Graham (R)

	HS News Grading
Votes	DeMint	Graham
Border Security- Vote to Deny funding to complete 700 miles of border fence.(S.Amdt 1399 to S.Amdt 1373 to HR 2892)	F	F
Deportation- Vote for Funding of Sanctuary Policies for Unauthorized Immigrants.(SAmdt.2630 to HR 2847)	F	F
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)	F	F
Workforce-Vote Not to extend E-Verify for six years (S.Amdt 604 to HR 1105)	F	F
Co-Sponsored DREAM ACT- Development Relief, and education for Alien Minors Act of 2009.( S. 729)	F	F
Overall State Grade:	F

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 South Carolina’s population and electorate.

The foreign-born share of South Carolina’s population rose from 1.4% in 1990, to 2.9% in 2000, to 4.3% in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. South Carolina was home to 190,014 immigrants in 2007, which is more than the entire population of Little Rock, Arkansas.
35.1% of immigrants (or 66,603 people) in South Carolina were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2007—meaning that they are eligible to vote.
1.3% (or 25,812) of all registered voters in South Carolina 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 4% South Carolinians are Latino—and they vote.

The Latino share of South Carolina’s population grew from 0.9% in 1990, to 2.4% in 2000, to 3.8% (or 167,493 people) in 2007. The Asian share of the population grew from 0.6% in 1990, to 0.9% in 2000, to 1.2% (or 52,893 people) in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Latinos comprised 0.9% (or 18,000) of South Carolina voters in the 2008 elections, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Latino and Asian entrepreneurs and consumers add billions of dollars and tens-of-thousands of jobs to South Carolina’s economy.

The 2008 purchasing power of South Carolina’s Latinos totaled $3.3 billion—an increase of 797.3% since 1990. Asian buying power totaled $1.9 billion—an increase of 516% since 1990, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.

Immigrants are integral to South Carolina’s economy as workers.

Immigrants comprised 5.4% of the state’s workforce in 2007 (or 118,443 workers), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Unauthorized immigrants comprised 2.2% of the state’s workforce (or 50,000 workers) in 2008, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center.
If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from South Carolina, the state would lose $1.8 billion in expenditures, $782.9 million in economic output, and approximately 12,059 jobs, even accounting for adequate market adjustment time, according to a report by the Perryman Group.

Naturalized Citizens Excel Educationally.

In South Carolina, 34.7% of foreign-born persons who were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2007 had a bachelor’s or higher degree, compared to 23.1% of noncitizens. At the same time, only 16.6% of naturalized citizens lacked a high-school diploma, compared to 34.5% of noncitizens.
The number of immigrants in South Carolina with a college degree increased by 63.7% between 2000 and 2007, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.
27.6% of South Carolina’s foreign-born population age 25 and older had a bachelor’s or higher degree in 2007, compared to 23.2% of native-born persons age 25 and older.
In South Carolina, 68.8% 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.