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Indians second largest immigrants to US: The Times of India
New Delhi, July 17: India accounts for second largest number of legal immigrants to the United States even as the anti-immigrant effects of 9/11 continue with more Americans wanting reduced immigration levels.
New Delhi, July 17: India accounts for second largest number of legal immigrants to the United States even as the anti-immigrant effects of 9/11 continue with more Americans wanting reduced immigration levels.
According to the latest report from the US Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), more than one million persons legally immigrated to the United States in fiscal year 2002, about the same number as the previous year, of which 71,105 people were Indians.
Five countries accounted for 40 percent of immigrants. Mexico accounted for the largest number of legal immigrants with 219,380, followed by India, The People's Republic of China (61,282), Philippines (51,308) and Vietnam (33,627).
The bureau said of the total number of legal immigrants, 384,427 obtained their immigrant visas abroad, and 653,259 were already living in the United States and became permanent residents by applying for adjustment of status with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) -- which became BCIS when the Department of Homeland Security was created earlier this year.
According to officials, the number of persons granted lawful permanent residence in the US in FY 2002 was about the same as in FY 2001.
Legal immigration in recent years, including FY 2002, has been affected by a backlog in adjustment of status applications pending, they added.
Giving in detail, the officials said a total of 1,063,732 persons legally immigrated to the United States. Of that total, 384,427 obtained their immigrant visas abroad from the Department of State and 653,259 were granted adjustment of status which is permanent residence, by the INS.
The major categories of immigrants were: immediate relatives of US citizens (486,748), family preferences (187,069), employment preferences (179,968), refugee/asylee adjustments (126,084) and diversity program (42,829).
Sixty-five percent of the legal immigrants settled in California (291,216), New York (114,827), Florida (90,819), Texas (88,365), New Jersey (57,721), and Illinois (47,235).
Unlike the US Census reports on the foreign-born population, these immigration counts refer only to the number of persons granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States during a one-year period.
It is not a population count and does not include all foreign-born persons, the officials clarified.
But according to a poll conducted during June 12-18, 47 per cent of Americans think immigration levels should be decreased.
Meanwhile, scores of Indian technology professionals are taking the online route to express their resentment against a bill seeking to abolish the H-1 B visa category that facilitates a large number of skilled Indian professionals take up jobs in the United States.
Congressman Tom Tancredo has introduced the Bill in the US Congress, spurred by a campaign by US tech workers, who are losing jobs in increasing numbers through a combination of immigration, outsourcing and advancement of technical skills outside US, wage differentials and other factors.
According to the latest report from the US Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), more than one million persons legally immigrated to the United States in fiscal year 2002, about the same number as the previous year, of which 71,105 people were Indians.
Five countries accounted for 40 percent of immigrants. Mexico accounted for the largest number of legal immigrants with 219,380, followed by India, The People's Republic of China (61,282), Philippines (51,308) and Vietnam (33,627).
The bureau said of the total number of legal immigrants, 384,427 obtained their immigrant visas abroad, and 653,259 were already living in the United States and became permanent residents by applying for adjustment of status with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) -- which became BCIS when the Department of Homeland Security was created earlier this year.
According to officials, the number of persons granted lawful permanent residence in the US in FY 2002 was about the same as in FY 2001.
Legal immigration in recent years, including FY 2002, has been affected by a backlog in adjustment of status applications pending, they added.
Giving in detail, the officials said a total of 1,063,732 persons legally immigrated to the United States. Of that total, 384,427 obtained their immigrant visas abroad from the Department of State and 653,259 were granted adjustment of status which is permanent residence, by the INS.
The major categories of immigrants were: immediate relatives of US citizens (486,748), family preferences (187,069), employment preferences (179,968), refugee/asylee adjustments (126,084) and diversity program (42,829).
Sixty-five percent of the legal immigrants settled in California (291,216), New York (114,827), Florida (90,819), Texas (88,365), New Jersey (57,721), and Illinois (47,235).
Unlike the US Census reports on the foreign-born population, these immigration counts refer only to the number of persons granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States during a one-year period.
It is not a population count and does not include all foreign-born persons, the officials clarified.
But according to a poll conducted during June 12-18, 47 per cent of Americans think immigration levels should be decreased.
Meanwhile, scores of Indian technology professionals are taking the online route to express their resentment against a bill seeking to abolish the H-1 B visa category that facilitates a large number of skilled Indian professionals take up jobs in the United States.
Congressman Tom Tancredo has introduced the Bill in the US Congress, spurred by a campaign by US tech workers, who are losing jobs in increasing numbers through a combination of immigration, outsourcing and advancement of technical skills outside US, wage differentials and other factors.