They’re (NOT) Coming to New Mexico….

Immigration has been a hot-button issue in the 2016 election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. No matter what your position is on immigration policy, it is widely recognized that a leading motivating factor behind immigration is the search for better work opportunities.

The conservative Heritage Foundation (which favors strict limits on immigration) has put out a very interesting chart (below) detailing the growth of immigrant populations by state between 2010 and 2014. Interestingly, New Mexico saw a zero or even negative “growth” in its immigrant population. It was one of a handful of states to do so. Not surprisingly, all of New Mexico’s faster-growing neighbors had faster-growing immigrant populations.

Whether you are a fan of immigration or not, this comports with New Mexico’s slow overall population growth (especially as compared with other Western states). It is yet another indicator of New Mexico’s challenged economy. Check out the detailed post from Heritage Foundation.