LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A research project conducted by University of California Merced Community and Labor Center, showed that immigrant population in the United States had experienced a sharp decline by 2.6 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

The results of the project released Friday made the conclusion based on an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, which has monthly population survey of 60,000 U.S. households. The figures include naturalized citizens and noncitizens, including those living in the country both legally and illegally.

The new analysis showed that immigrant population decline is highest in the past twenty years, saying "the decline in the US immigrant population in 2020 (-2.6%) is unprecedented in recent decades, even surpassing that during the Great Recession of 2008-2009 (-1.6%)."

California's immigrant population of 10.3 million in 2019 fell by 642,200, or 6.2 percent, during the first five months of the pandemic, from March to July, said the analysis, adding many immigrants in the Golden State chose to return to their home countries or go to other U.S. states since the local economy is suffering a lot from the pandemic.

"While some immigrants form the backbone of the workforce in essential industries such as agriculture or meatpacking, others have been displaced by the economic slowdown in service sector industries." the analysis said.

"Several of California's industries had been hit particularly hard, such as the arts and entertainment, recreation, hotel and accommodations, and food services industries, where more than four in ten jobs were lost."

The research warned that states with a greater loss of immigrants and the working-age population will face greater challenges in filling jobs necessary to stimulate an economic recovery in future. Enditem

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