The influx of immigrants coming to the United States from Mexican has leveled off, and possibly even declined, for the first time in nearly 40 years according to a new study.  The Pew Hispanic Center released the its findings Monday.

Data from both the United States and Mexico shows that the immigration numbers actually leveled off in 2007 and started to decline in 2010.

From Reuters:

 

As of 2011, some 6.1 million Mexican immigrants were living illegally in the United States, down from a peak of nearly 7 million in 2007, according to Pew estimates based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Over the same period, the population of legal immigrants from Mexico rose modestly, from 5.6 million in 2007 to 5.8 million in 2011.

"While it is not possible to say so with certainty, the trend lines within this latest 5-year period suggest that return flow to Mexico probably exceeded the in-flow from Mexico during the last year or two," the study found.

While the study does not give one specific reason for the decline, it suggests a variety of factors may be at play.  The economic crisis is most likely a significant reason and the increase in deportations under the Obama administration. 

 

President Obama has promised to bring forth comprehensive immigration reform if elected for a second term.  The last time comprehensive immigration reform legislation passed was under Ronald Reagan in 1986.