2/24: Illegal immigrant numbers rise in the Southeast

AP: Illegal immigrant numbers rise in Southeast

A new federal report shows that Georgia had the greatest percentage increase among the 10 states with the biggest illegal immigrant populations during 2000-2009, with more than 480,000 immigrants noted during that period. In 1990, Georgia had just 35,000 illegal immigrants.

North Carolina is also one of the top 10 states for the sheer size of its illegal immigrant population, estimated at about 370,000 in January 2009 as compared to 260,000 in 2000, according to the report by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Statistics.

As recently as the 1980s, Southeastern states with the exception of Florida had very few immigrants, legal or illegal, Jeff Passel of the Pew Hispanic Center said. A recession in California in the early 1990s, and a ready supply of low-skilled jobs in other regions prompted immigrants to look elsewhere, especially the Southeast, Passel said.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Lawmakers consider ban on public release of 911 calls

ARKANSAS: International students boost state's economy by more than $23 million

FLORIDA: Supreme Court approves Florida's version of Miranda rights warnings

GEORGIA: Statewide campaign -- Exit 2 Text It -- aimed at teen motorists

KENTUCKY: Group rallies against payday lenders

LOUISIANA: State to get $77 million more in stimulus money for health care

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour gives President Obama advice -- 'jobs, jobs, jobs' should be priority

NORTH CAROLINA: State lags behind on disclosing hospital infections

SOUTH CAROLINA: State considers early release of 3,000 prisoners as way to save money

TENNESSEE: New biorefinery to convert wood products into diesel or jet fuel

VIRGINIA: Primary victims of state budget: Education and Medicaid

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to info@bettersouth.org