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Foreign-Born Population Grows, But Relative Size Not Unprecedented
Although the number and proportion of immigrants in the U.S. have generally increased, the current level of the foreign-born population is not without precedent. As of 2023, 14.3% of the U.S. population was foreign-born, according to U.S. Census data.
Concern About Immigration Differs Widely
Public concern about immigration varies significantly worldwide. While some countries frequently rank it among their top issues, others prioritize different challenges.
12 States That Would Shrink Without International Migration
Several U.S. states, including California, New York, and Illinois, are losing population due to domestic outmigration, often driven by high living costs. Despite maintaining higher birth rates than deaths, these states rely on international immigration for population growth.
Rise in Indian Migrant Encounters at U.S. Borders
Recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicates that between October 2020 and August 2024, over 86,400 Indian nationals were intercepted while attempting unauthorized crossings at the U.S. southwest border. During the same period, more than 88,800 Indian nationals were stopped at the northern border.
U.S. States That Are Gaining or Losing Population
As pandemic patterns of U.S. population growth are now normalizing, three economically successful states are shrinking. According to a December release by the Census Bureau, California, Illinois and New York, as well as West Virginia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and Oregon, all lost population in 2023 compared to 2022.
Migrant Encounters Rise at Southern U.S. Border
The past couple of fiscal years have seen new record numbers of migrant encounters at the U.S. – Mexico border, counting both migrants that have been apprehended as well as those asking to enter legally but deemed inadmissible. The following chart shows the number of migrant encounters at the U.S. – Mexico border for each fiscal year since 2013.
International Migration Trends
The number of people living outside their country of origin is continuing to increase for many reasons. To understand what migration will look like in the future, we need to understand migration trends and how they have evolved over time.
U.S. Refugee Admissions at All-Time Low in 2021
A program for Ukrainian refugees called “Uniting for Ukraine” was launched last year. Depending on how fast Ukrainians are admitted under the program, it could be a major step up for refugee inflow into the U.S. in the fiscal year of 2022, as 2021 saw refugee admissions at an all-time low.
Most U.S. Immigrants Qualify Through Family Ties
A recent analysis of U.S. State Department data reveals that family-sponsored visas, which can include spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents, brothers, sisters and older children of citizens), are making up approximately 40 percent of immigrant visas issued in the U.S. while work-related immigrant visas make up only approximately 5 percent.
Where Undocumented Immigrants Live in the U.S.
In between 2007 and 2017, the total number of undocumented immigrants living in the United States shrank by 14 percent. However, they still made up 23 percent of the total foreign-born population in 2017. So where do these undocumented immigrants live in the U.S.?
Affiliations
