The greatest number of people living in the US illegally were Mexicans (6.7 million) at 62 percent, followed by those from El Salvador (530,000), Guatemala (480,000), Honduras (320,000) and the Philippines (270,000).

Honduras tops the list for the greatest percentage increase of unauthorized immigrants, at 95 percent, Guatemala came in at 65 percent, and India with 64 percent.

“The number of unauthorized residents declined by one million between 2007 and 2009, coincident with the US economic downturn,” stated the DHS report, which is based on census data and extrapolations from the total foreign population in the country of the United States of America.

Reasons for a decline in the undocumented population, aside from the USA financial and global financial crisis, include tougher border enforcement and a national crackdown on illegal immigrants.

From January 2008 through January 2009, the number of unauthorized immigrants living in the US decreased by 7 percent, from 11.6 million to 10.8 million, after growing from 8.5 million to 11.8 million between 2000 and 2007, the DHS said.

California remained the leading state of residence for illegal immigrants in 2009, with 2.6 million, followed by Texas (1.7 million), Florida (720,000), New York (550,000) and Illinois (540,000).

In 2009, 61 percent of unauthorized immigrants were aged 25 to 44 years, and 58 percent were male. Males accounted for 62 percent of the illegal population in the 18 to 34 age group in 2009, while females accounted for 52 percent of the 45 and older age groups.