The slowing economy, surging fuel prices and an increased focus on workplace enforcement has a growing number of illegal immigrants packing their bags and heading out of the country. The census figures from last august through this may show the illegal immigrant population in the U-S shrank by 11 percent, or by over one million people. 

Steve Camarota at the Center for Immigration Studies believes the surge back across the border had nothing to do with the economy at first.

"Initiially the fall off was caused by something other than the economy.  Very likely the increased enforcement," Camaroa said.

And because of that enforcement, camarota believes illegal immigrants took notice.

"The number of illegal aliens who left the country was several times greater thant the number being deported by the government," Camarota said meaning, "it appears a whole lot of folks are going home on their own."

Camarota says over the same period legal immigration jumped by four percent, leading to increased competition for jobs.