PolitiFact N.J.: Rep. Rob Andrews claims most illegal immigrants first arrived legally with visas
During a Sept. 12 interview, Rep. Rob Andrews of New Jersey made the following claim: “The number-one source of undocumented people in this country is not people coming across the Mexican border . . . It is people legally coming to the United States on a tourist visa or a student visa and then disappearing into the population and never being heard from again.”
Sounds ripe for a fact-check, doesn’t it?
PolitiFact New Jersey found 33 percent of the 7 million illegal immigrants in January 2000 were people overstayed their temporary visas. That’s based on data from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. A 2006 estimate puts the overstay figure at half.
Based on those measurements and other facts, PolitiFact N.J. gave this statement a “False” rating.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.