Number of illegal immigrants in US now declining

WASHINGTON - The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. has dropped for the first time in 20 years.

That's according to the Pew Hispanic Center, an independent research group. The analysis suggests that the decline might be due to the nation's economic downturn and increased border enforcement.

The study estimates that 11.1 million illegal immigrants lived in the United States in 2009. That represents a decrease of roughly 1 million, or 8 percent, from a peak of 12 million in 2007.

The study, based on an analysis of 2009 census data, puts the number of illegal immigrants about where it was in 2005.

Illegal immigrants make up roughly 4 percent of the U.S. population.

States in the Southeast and Southwest saw some of the biggest declines in the number of illegal immigrants from 2008 to 2009, including Florida, Nevada and Virginia.

Arizona saw a decrease, but it was too small to be statistically significant. That state's controversial new immigration law is being challenged in federal court.