New York.– Filipinos comprise the second biggest number of legal permanent residents (LPRs) in the United States as of January 1, 2008 at 600,000, according to the Population Estimates released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on October 2009.

Of the 12.6 million LPRs, an estimated 3.4 million Mexicans comprise the biggest LPR population (at 27 percent). The report, written by Nancy Rytina, said an estimated 12.6 million LPRs, which includes persons granted lawful permanent residence and green-card holders, lived in the United States on the cut-off date of the report. One-half obtained LPR status 2000 or later, one-quarter became LPRs during 2005-2007.

Also included on the list of top sources of LPRs in the United States are India (500,000), People’s Republic of China (500,000), and the Dominican Republic (400,000). The top five countries comprise 43 percent of LPR’s origin while the remaining 56 percent were from Cuba, El Salvador, Canada, Vietnam, and United Kingdom.

Fifty-nine percent of the lawful permanent residents obtained their LPR status in four states such as California, which ranked as the leading state of residence having 3.4 million of LPRs, followed by New York with 1.5 million, Texas with 1.3 million, and Florida with 1.2 million.