My Way News - Illegal immigrants numbers rise in Southeast

My Way News - Illegal immigrants numbers rise in Southeast: "ATLANTA (AP) - When the Olympic Games came to Atlanta in 1996, a building boom transformed the landscape of downtown and brought with it an influx of Latino immigrants - both legal and illegal.

In the years since, the number of illegal immigrants living in Georgia has skyrocketed, more than doubling to 480,000 from January 2000 to January 2009, according to a new federal report. That gave Georgia the greatest percentage increase among the 10 states with the biggest illegal immigrant populations during those years. Many in metro Atlanta say the explanation for the boom is simple.

'It was because of jobs,' said Kathy Brannon, who worked for the suburban city of Chamblee for nearly 30 years. 'That's why people have come to this country since it started, for opportunity.'

For years, Chamblee was the last stop for three bus companies carrying immigrants from the border city of Brownsville, Texas, said Brannon, the retired city manager. With cheap housing, easy transportation and an abundance of work, the immigrants put down roots and were quick to tell family and friends back home of the opportunities in the Atlanta area."