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By Michael Lopez

It looks like the Republicans are going to need some new talking points when they address "the dangers" of America's immigration problem. Especially since new data has shown that the amount of Mexicans crossing the border has dropped significantly in recent years and may even be reversing.

According to a new study conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center, more Mexicans may be leaving the country than coming in. And for the record, Arizona is not to blame for the downturn. The research organization cites the weakened U.S. economy as the primary factor.

"If you dry up the job magnet because of the bad economy or increased work-site enforcement, you reduce illegal immigration," Bob Dane, spokesman for the Federation of American Immigration Reform told the L.A. Times.

Of course, the possibility of being shot and killed by a border patrol agent works as a pretty strong deterrent too. Noted immigration attorney Jessica Dominguez believes that fear has also become a big motivation for the slowdown.

"Some people are staying away until they can come back legally," Dominguez explained. "They don't want to be exposed to being detained again and losing the opportunity to come back legally later. The laws are very strict at this point."

In the past five years, the number of Mexicans entering to the U.S. has dropped by half. In 2005, for example, more than 1 million immigrants attempted to cross the border illegally. And last year, the recorded number was just 286,000.

Some analysts believe that the changing economic climate of Mexico has encouraged people to stay too. Though we find that slightly questionable, especially considering the amount of violence the country has endured in recent years.

Whatever the reason, it will certainly make for an interesting study in 2017. Five years from now, if the amount of immigrants decline, will America suddenly become this "magical" safe and prosperous place with an abundance of jobs for everyone? We sincerely doubt it.

What do you think about the latest immigration stats? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bob Dane, Cultura, Immigration, Jessica Dominguez, Mexico, Pew Hispanic Center

By Michael Lopez

There has been a lot of good news for young Latinos looking to further their education. For one thing, California's Dream Act moved one step closer to completion. On Wednesday, the state Senate approved a bill that would give undocumented students the opportunity to receive financial aid. And beyond that, there have been some very encouraging stats about Hispanics enrolling in U.S. universities.

According to the latest study from the Pew Hispanic Center, 1.8 million Latinos are currently pursuing a higher education. Obviously that large number is very encouraging, but what makes it even more incredible is the fact that Hispanic college enrollment is up by 24 percent since 2009.

News like this could have an extremely positive impact on the Hispanic-American culture. And if things continue with the upward trend, you can expect to see a lot more Latin doctors, lawyers, and PhD's in the workforce.

"Improving the educational attainment of young Hispanics would improve the long-term socioeconomic prospects of the nation's largest minority group," Pew researcher Richard Fry said. "It would not only be beneficial for Hispanics themselves but would also raise the education and skills of the nation's future work force."

The study also went on to illustrate how the increase of Latino college students equates to a decrease in high school dropouts. Pew Research stated that as of October 2010, the Hispanic high school completion rate was at nearly 73 percent.

Many also equate the increase to more opportunities for the modern American Latino. Following up on the study, CNN spoke with student Erica Ruiz, who seemed very grateful that she had been given educational opportunities that her parents weren't.

"My parents always encouraged me to go to college and get educated," said Ruiz, who is Mexican-American. "Because they didn’t get the opportunity."

And with September now in full bloom, expect to see a lot more Latino "Back To School" ads popping up between your favorite shows.

What do you think about the latest Hispanic education stats? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Back To School, Blogger: Michael Lopez, California DREAM Act, College, Cultura, Education, Pew Hispanic Center

By Michael Lopez

Ever wondered which state has the highest Latino population? Or which one has the lowest? The Pew Hispanic Center’s latest report holds the answer. Based on the findings of the 2010 U.S. Census, it has uncovered many significant facts about the Hispanic presence in America and where things may be headed within the next several decades.

If you’re looking for the country's densest Latino population, you may want to head to New Mexico. According to the study, Hispanics make up 46 percent of the state’s population. Interestingly, in the last ten years New Mexico residents have grown by 240,000, 78 percent of which are made up of Latinos.

And where can you find the second largest percentage of Latinos? That would be California. Currently at 38 percent (and growing), the Golden State now accounts for over 14 million Hispanics. For the record, the state with lowest population count is West Virginia, with just 0.7 percent declaring themselves Latino.

In total, the number of Latinos in the U.S. has reached a staggering 38.7 million. Though increases in New Mexico and California seem obvious, senior Pew demographer Jeffrey S. Passel did seem surprised by Hispanic population jumps in states like Kansas, Louisiana, and Alabama.

“In the traditional Hispanic states the estimates have been very close,” Passel said. “But it's in the newer areas where Hispanics have settled in the past ten years or so that the counts are coming in significantly higher.”

In fact, the increase in U.S. Latinos was so great, it actually exceeded the researchers' original estimations by 1.5 percent. Numerous reasons have come into play to explain the population boost. Pew demographers have attributed it to immigration, longer life spans, and more births within Hispanic households.

“The Hispanic population tends to be a younger population with higher fertility rates,” said Jon Stiles of the California Census Research Data Center.

One interesting statistic to point out is the decrease of Latinos in Arizona. The Census recorded only 1.9 million Hispanics in the state, 8.7 percent lower than what researchers expected. Could Jan Brewer’s controversial SB 1070 law have played a part? Perhaps. And it wouldn't surprise us if the missing Latinos wound up heading populating neighboring New Mexico.

Have you noticed an increased Latino presence in your state? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Census, Cultura, Education, Immigration, Pew Hispanic Center, Politics, U.S. Census