The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta region ranked 10th nationally for the number of residents who became green card-holders in the fiscal year ending in September, a new report shows.
In all, 20,054 people in the region became legal permanent residents, down 6 percent from the year before, according to the U.S. Homeland Security Department report released this week.
The New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island area ranked first for the past fiscal year with 167,393. That region was followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana at 79,893 and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach at 66,636.
Nationwide, 990,553 people got their green cards in the past fiscal year, down 4 percent from the year before. Their leading countries of birth are Mexico, 14 percent; China, 7.2 percent; and India, 6.9 percent.
Legal permanent residents may live and work permanently in the U.S, own property, and attend public schools and colleges. They may also serve in the U.S. military and apply to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements.
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