$26 billion to Mexico in 2007. (Joel Millman, Remittances to Mexico Fell More Than Forecast, Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2009, p. A3).

55% of Mexican immigrants to the United States are illegal. (Steven A. Camarota, Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A Profile of America’s Foreign Born Population, Center for Immigration Studies, November, 2007. Available at: http://www.cis.org/immigrants_profile_2007).

55% of $26 billion is $14.3 billion.

57% of the illegal population comes from Mexico. (Steven A. Camarota, Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A Profile of America’s Foreign Born Population, Center for Immigration Studies, November, 2007. Available at: http://www.cis.org/immigrants_profile_2007).

If we assume that all illegal immigrants send money home at the same rate as Mexican illegal immigrants, then the question we must ask is, if 57% of the illegal population sends home $14.3 billion, what is the total amount of money that the illegal population sends home?

.57(x) = 14.3 x = 14.3/.57 = $25.08 billion