Let’s have a real debate about immigration.
Amidst the demagoguery of the immigration debate, where’s the discussion about poverty in the developing nations. The sad truth is that the numbers of people living in poverty is increasing across the globe.
In fact, the top 15 countries of origin for undocumented immigrants to the United States have such high rates of poverty that the data suggests immigrants are also motivated by the need to escape crushing poverty in search of viable economic opportunities.
Top 15 countries of origin for undocumented immigrants in the United States.
By country and poverty rate (population percentage below poverty line):
Mexico – 40 percent
El Salvador – 36 percent
Guatemala – 75 percent
Colombia – 49 percent
Honduras – 53 percent
China – 10 percent
Ecuador – 41 percent
Dominican Republic – 25 percent
Philippines – 40 percent
Brazil – 22 percent
Haiti – 80 percent
India – 25 percent
Peru – 54 percent
South Korea – 15 percent
Canada – 16 percent.