Delaware
| Summary Demographic State Data (and Source) | |
|---|---|
| Population (2009 CB est.): | 885,122 |
| Population (2000 Census): | 783,600 |
| Foreign-Born Population (2009 CB est.): | 74,033 |
| Foreign-Born Population (2000 Census): | 44,898 |
| Share Foreign-Born (2009) | 8.4% |
| Share Foreign-Born (2000): | 5.7% |
| Naturalized U.S. Citizens (2009 CB est.): | 31,240 |
| Share Naturalized (2009): | 42.2% |
| Legal Immigrant Admission (DHS 2000-2009): | 20,264 |
| Refugee Admission(HHS 2000-2009): | 332 |
| Illegal Alien Population (2008 FAIR est.): | 30,000 |
| Costs of Illegal Aliens (2010 FAIR) | $301,600,000 |
| Projected 2050 Population (2006 FAIR) | 1,266,000 |
Delaware : Extended Immigration Data
STATE POPULATION
UUsing the American Community Survey (ACS), the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that in July 2009 Delaware’s population had increased to 885,122 residents. That was an annual average increase of about 12,120 residents since 2000. That is an annual rate of increase of about 1.4 percent compared to a national rate of increase of 1.0 percent.
Between the 1990 and 2000 Censuses, the population of Connecticut grew at an annual rate of 1.7 percent (from 666,168 to 783,600 residents). The national rate of increase was 1.2 percent.
Between 1980 and 1990 Delaware's overall population grew by an annual rate of 1.2 percent (from 594,338). The national rate of change was 1.0 percent.
FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION
Based on the 2009 ACS, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the foreign-born population of Delaware was 74,033 persons in 2009. This meant a foreign-born population share of about one in every twelve (8.4%) residents.
NET INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION (NIM)
Based on the Current Population Survey (CPS), the Census Bureau estimated that between the 2000 Census and July 2009 the District’s population increased by about 24,175 residents from net international migration (more foreign-born arriving than leaving). That was an annual average increase of about 5,005 residents, i.e., nearly one-fifth (19.2%) of the total increase (not including the children born to the immigrants after their arrival in the United States).
FOREIGN-BORN CHANGE
The amount of change since the 2000 Census recorded in the 2009 ACS was an increase of 29,135 foreign-born residents. This indicates an average annual rate of increase in the foreign-born population of about 3,135 people, which is more than one-fifth (28.7%) of the state’s annual average population increase. Since 2000, the foreign-born population has increased by 64.9 percent compared to a 9.8 percent increase in the native-born population. The annual rate of increase from 2000-2009 was 5.7 percent compared to a national rate of 2.4 percent.
Immigration also contributes to population growth through the children born to immigrants in this country. Nationally the share of births to the foreign-born is about double their share of the population. A 16.8 percent share of the state’s current births is large enough to account for about 1,915 births a year. Combining the average annual increase in the foreign-born population and estimated immigrant births suggests that immigration may account for more than 5,045 persons added to the state’s population annually, i.e., nearly half (46.2%) of the state’s overall population increase.
The 2000 Census found that nearly two-fifths (39%) of Connecticut's foreign-born population had arrived in the state since 1990. This was lower than the national average (43.7%). The 2009 ACS data estimate indicates that more than one-third (34.5%) of the state’s foreign-born population has arrived since 2000. That was higher than the 31.6 percent share of new arrivals nationally.
During the 90s, the increase in the foreign-born population accounted directly for 19.3 percent of the state's overall population increase over that decade. During that decade the annual average rate of increase in the foreign-born population was 7.3 percent compared to a national rate of 4.6 percent.
FOREIGN-BORN CHARACTERISTICS
An indicator of the change in the immigrant population may be seen in data on the share of the population that speaks a language other than English at home. Between 1990 and 2000 the share of non-English speakers at home in Delaware increased by more than one-quarter from 6.9 percent to 8.9 percent. About two-fifths (40.8%) of those who said they spoke a language other than English at home in 2000 also said they spoke English less than very well.
The 2009 ACS estimate put the share of the over 5 population speaking other than English at home at 11.4 percent. Nearly half (48.6%) were Spanish speakers, and nearly three-fifths (58.8%) of those who spoke English less than very well were also Spanish speakers.
|
Speakers of Foreign Languages |
|
| Spanish | 34,690 |
| French | 3,930 |
| German | 3,430 |
| Chinese | 3,230 |
| Italian | 2,860 |
| Polish | 2,035 |
| Korean | 1,600 |
| Tagalog | 1,285 |
| French Creole | 1,200 |
| Gujarathi | 970 |
|
(Source: Census Bureau report: Language Spoken at Home for the Population 5 Years and Over, April 2004) |
|
The chart above shows the foreign-born population increasing by 27.2 percent since 2000 and the share of that population from Africa increasing by 217.6 percent. That region’s share of the state’s immigrant population rose from 3.9 percent in 2000 to 9.6 percent in 2009.
NATURALIZATION
Data from the 2009 ACS indicate that 31,240 residents, or 42.2 percent, of the foreign-born population in Delaware were citizens, compared to 19,052 residents, or 42.4 percent, in 2000.
Nationally, 40.3 percent of the foreign-born were citizens in 2000, and 43.7 percent in 2009.
REFUGEES
Delaware has received 332 refugees over the most recent ten fiscal years (FY'00-'09) including 24 persons in FY’09
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY STUDENTS
Data are not available nationally on immigrant students (either legally or illegally resident in the United States) who are enrolled in primary and secondary schools (K-12). However, many of these students are enrolled in Limited English Proficiency/English Language Learning (LEP/ELL) instruction programs. Many may be U.S.-born, but the majority of these students may be assumed to be either immigrants or the children of immigrants, with the exception being areas with Native Americans who speak a native language other than English.
In Delaware, overall K-12 enrollment in 2008 (122,574) was 8.6 percent higher than in 1999. By contrast, LEP enrollment (6,831) was about double a decade earlier. The share of LEP enrollment rose from 2 percent to 5.6 percent.
FOREIGN STUDENTS
The 2009/10 annual report of the Institute of International Education (IIE) identifies the number of foreign students enrolled in Delaware schools as 3,005. Nearly seven-eighths (83%) were at the U. Delaware 2,491
For information on foreign student issues see: Foreign Students in the United States.
ILLEGAL ALIENS
FAIR Estimate- FAIR estimated the state’s illegal alien population as of 2010 at 30,000 persons. This is part of an overall estimate of the U.S. illegal alien population of about 12 million persons.
INS/DHS Estimate - The INS (now dissolved into the Dept. of Homeland Security) estimated in February 2003 that the resident illegal population in Delaware was 7,000 as of January 2000. This number was 4,000 higher than the INS' 1996 estimate.
Other Estimates - The Pew Hispanic Center estimated the illegal alien population of the state at 20,000 as of 2010.
COST OF ILLEGAL ALIENS
FAIR’s 2010 fiscal cost study, “The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers” estimated the following cost outlays and tax receipts:
| Delaware Fiscal Costs In 2009 | ||
| Due to Illegal Aliens ($M) | (Pct.) | |
| K-12 educ. | $140.5 | 46.0% |
| LEP educ. | $19.3 | 6.3% |
| Medicaid | $24.1 | 7.9% |
| SCHIP | $6.4 | 2.1% |
| Justice | $20.3 | 6.6% |
| Welfare+ | $33.9 | 11.1% |
| General | $60.8 | 19.9% |
| Total | $305.3 | |
| Tax Receipts | $3.7 | |
| Net Cost | $301.6 | |
POPULATION PROJECTION
We projected Delaware’s population in 2050 likely would be between 1.235 million and 1.266 million depending on what happens with immigration policy. See “Projecting the U.S. Population to 2050: Four Immigration Scenarios,” FAIR 2006.
Connecticut : Immigrant Admissions
| Delaware Immigrant Admissions by Fiscal Year |
|
| 2000 | 1,570 |
| 2001 | 1,862 |
| 2002 | 1,862 |
| 2003 | 1,490 |
| 2004 | 1,671 |
| 2005 | 2,992 |
| 2006 | 2,265 |
| 2007 | 2,085 |
| 2008 | 2,295 |
| 2009 | 2,184 |
| Total | 20,264 |
Recent immigrant admissions are at 431 percent of admissions just after adoption of the current immigration system in 1965. During the 1965-'69 period, annual admissions averaged about 550 immigrants. During the most recent five years, admissions averaged about 2,365 persons.
The charts below show recent immigrant admissions and the cumulative immigrant admissions data since 1965. The number of annual admissions has ranged from 488 in FY'65 to 2,992 in FY'05. The cumulative total of admissions to Delaware between fiscal years 1965 and 2009 was 43,260 immigrants.
The data for fiscal years 1989-91 were artificially raised slightly by the inclusion of former illegal aliens who were amnestied in 1986.
Delaware : Poll Data
Rasmussen Poll: Arizona Law SB 1070
July 2010
Suppose the new Arizona immigration law was being considered for your state. Would you favor or oppose passage of that law in your state?
The U.S. Justice Department has decided to challenge the legality of Arizona’s new immigration law in federal court. Do you agree or disagree with the decision to challenge the legality of Arizona’s new immigration law?
Delaware : Immigration Impact
Environmental and Quality of Life Profile
Traffic: Travel on Delaware highways jumped by 42 percent between 1990 and 2008, placing a strain on the state's road system. In 2010, over one third (34%) of Delaware's major urban highways were considered congested.1 As population growth put more traffic on the roads, the average commute for Delaware residents increased 20 percent, from 20 minutes in 2000 to 24 minutes in 2004.2 About 14 percent of Delaware commuters had a commute of 45 minutes or longer in 2008.3
Water: By 2050 the state's population is projected to rise from 850,000 in 2006 to 1.3 million. Delaware has a daily, per-capita water demand of 121.2 gallons.4 That implies an increased water usage of 54.5 million gallons per year by 2050 at current rates of growth.
Chesapeake Bay: Delaware is one of six states which make up the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the human population of which has already reached more than 21 million people.5 The EPA estimates that the Chesapeake Bay is shrinking at a rate of more than 3,000 acres of wetlands every year.6 If growth continues in the Chesapeake Bay watershed at its current rate, the Conservation Fund predicts that 9.5 million acres of forested land within the watershed will be developed by 2030, reversing virtually all gains made so far in restoring the bay.7 At the same time, the population of the coastal United States — already incredibly dense, with over 50 percent of Americans living within 50 miles of the coast — is expected to grow to nearly 75 percent.8 The entire state of Delaware lies within 50 miles of the coast.
Air Quality: The American lung association gave all three of Delaware's counties a grade of "F" for high ozone days in both 2005 and 2010.9
Disappearing Open Space: The amount of developed land in Delaware increased by 121,400 acres from 1982 to 2007, growing at a pace of 6,570 acres per year over the last ten years of that period.10 In 2002, the American Planning Association said that the state expected a possible loss of 125,000 acres of open space by 2020.11
A study of urban sprawl between 1970 and 1990 that calculated the impact of population increase and per capita land use found that 78.0 square miles of additional land were consumed by urban sprawl in the Wilmington area, with spillover into New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and 35.7 percent of that sprawl was attributable to population increase.12
Solid Waste: Delaware generates 1.3 tons of solid waste per capita each year.13
Crowded Housing: An estimated 4,719 of Delaware's housing units were classified as crowded in 2008, defined as units with more than one occupant per room. This amounted to 1.4 percent of the state's housing units. In addition, 1,046 units were severely crowded, with at least 1.5 occupants per room.14 7 percent of the state's children live in crowded housing.15 Nationwide, children in immigrant families were three times as likely to live in crowded conditions as children in native families (27 percent to 9 percent).16
In Georgetown, an influx of immigrants working in local chicken processing plant created a shortage of affordable housing in the late 1990s. Deteriorating single-family houses — many purchased for $40,000 or less a few years ago — were able to charge up to $1,000 a month in rent by 1997. Many of these houses are shared by half-dozen or more tenants, leading to further deterioration. Georgetown's mayor and other town officials said the situation had reached a crisis point.17
Poverty: Delaware's immigrants are more likely to be poor than their native-born counterparts. In 2007, 11.2 percent of foreign-born households were below the poverty line, compared to 10.4 percent of native households. An additional 11.2 percent of the foreign-born and 7.4 percent of native households were not in poverty but had incomes less than 1.5 times the poverty level.18 16.6 percent of children in immigrant families were poor in 2006, compared to 12.8 percent of native children.19
Impact of Immigration on Delaware Schools
Between 2000 and 2006 Delaware's elementary and high school enrollment increased by 6.7 percent (over 8,000 students) and is projected to grow by an additional 8.3 percent by 2015 to a total student enrollment of 131,000.20 Delaware's student to teacher ratio currently ranks 30th in the nation.21
Endnotes
- The Road Information Project (TRIP), "Key Facts about Delaware's Surface Transportation System and Federal Funding," May 2010.
- "Table DP-1-4, Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000," Census 2000, U.S. Census Bureau. "Table DP-1-4, Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 1990," 1990 Census, U.S. Census Bureau.
- American Community Survey, 2008 Estimates, Custom Data Table.
- U.S. Geological Survey 2000.
- American Community Survey County Data
- Virginia DEQ, "Restoring Virginia's Wetlands, A Citizen's Toolkit," 2006
- The Conservation Fund, "The State of Chesapeake Forests," 2006
- NOAA, "Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980 2008," 2005
- American Lung Association, "State of the Air," 2005 and 2010.
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, "Summary Report: 2007 National Resources Inventory."
- "2002 State of the States," American Planning Association.
- Beck, Roy and Leon Kolankiewicz, "Weighing Sprawl Factors in Large U.S. Cities," NumbersUSA, March 2001
- Report Card for America's Infrastructure 2005," American Society of Civil Engineers.
- American Community Survey, Three-Year Estimates 2006-2008. Data retrieved using ACS Custom Table tool.
- Kids Count Data Center, which used 2008 American Community Survey Data.
- "Wisconsin Children in Immigrant Families," WisKids Count Issue Brief, Spring 2008. Cited 2006 ACS data.
- Patricia Rivera, "Housing Woes Plague Georgetown," News Journal, November 28, 1997.
- Migration Information Source State Data (Migration Policy Institute)
- Urban Institute, Children of Immigrants Data Tool.
- "Overview of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools and Districts: School Year 1999-2000," National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. "Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment, High School Completions, and Staff From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, June 2007. Projections of Education Statistics to 2010, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.
- "Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment, High School Completions, and Staff From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, June 2007.
Other Resources
State Local Reform Organizations
State Representatives Voting Record
Updated January 2012