Immigrant population has peaked

In L.A. County it's even declined a bit, according to a new report by USC demographer Dowell Myers. The peaking has come earlier than expected and is the result of stepped-up border enforcement and a downturn in the economy. From 2000 to 2008, the state's foreign-born population went from 26.2 percent to 26.8 percent. In Socal, only Riverside County has seen any appreciable increase. From the report:

Californians have been focused for many years on the growing population of immigrants. Indeed, the state has long been a magnet for migrants from other states and lands. If people weren't newcomers from Texas, Indiana or other states, then they were newcomers from Mexico, Taiwan, or other nations. But that fixation on migration has overlooked a third category of California residents and a major source of growth. A significant minority of California's population is comprised of people born in California, a group that is proud of their status as native Californians. In the last decade, homegrown residents have surpassed migrants and immigrants to become a majority of the California population for the first time since before the Gold Rush.

LAT has a post on the report.