Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has made illegal immigration a cornerstone of his campaign, proposing a simple solution for the nation’s immigration woes: build a wall and make Mexico pay for it. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said, if elected president, he would seek out and deport anyone in the country illegally. In contrast, Democratic candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton proposes “a path to full and equal citizenship.” The varied policy proposals by presidential candidates reflect the schism of opinion among Americans on immigration issues.

Despite immigration being a key talking point on the campaign trail, the numbers don’t always match up with the hype. People living in the country illegally have impacted the workforce, lowering wages and job availability for U.S. citizens without a high school diploma. But other data points suggest a positive impact. This diverse group makes up 5.1 percent of the U.S. workforce and pays an estimated $12 billion into Social Security. Contrary to the amount of attention the issue gets, the number of documented people in the U.S., estimated at almost 11 million, is actually on the decline.

#25. Oklahoma Estimate of Undocumented Population: 80,000

#24. Minnesota Estimate of Undocumented Population: 81,000

#23. Ohio Estimate of Undocumented Population: 83,000

#22. Indiana Estimate of Undocumented Population: 93,000

#21. Michigan Estimate of Undocumented Population: 97,000

#20. South Carolina Estimate of Undocumented Population: 99,000

#19. Connecticut Estimate of Undocumented Population: 108,000

#18. Oregon Estimate of Undocumented Population: 115,000

#17. Tennessee Estimate of Undocumented Population: 119,000

#16. Pennsylvania Estimate of Undocumented Population: 136,000

#15. Nevada Estimate of Undocumented Population: 138,000

#14. Colorado Estimate of Undocumented Population: 164,000

#13. Massachusetts Estimate of Undocumented Population: 185,000

#12. Washington Estimate of Undocumented Population: 204,000

#11. Maryland Estimate of Undocumented Population: 233,000

#10. Virginia Estimate of Undocumented Population: 247,000

#9. Arizona Estimate of Undocumented Population: 264,000

#8. North Carolina Estimate of Undocumented Population: 342,000

#7. Georgia Estimate of Undocumented Population: 393,000

#6. New Jersey Estimate of Undocumented Population: 509,000

#5. Illinois Estimate of Undocumented Population: 519,000

#4. Florida Estimate of Undocumented Population: 605,000

#3. New York Estimate of Undocumented Population: 867,000

#2. Texas Estimate of Undocumented Population: 1,464,000

#1. California Estimate of Undocumented Population: 3,034,000

Note: Data is not provided by the Migration Policy Institute for Montana, North Dakota or Vermont.

States With the Most Undocumented Immigrants - Hot Topics