Many people have opinions on how many immigrants there are in America, but what is the truth? We have cold, hard numbers for you.
The Numbers
- Immigrants account for about 13.7% of the U.S. population.
- Since 1965, the number of immigrants in America has more than quadrupled.
Legal Immigrant Statistics
- 77% of American immigrants are lawful.
- 27% are lawful permanent residents.
Unauthorized Immigrant Statistics
- 23% of America’s immigrants are unauthorized.
- From 1990 to 2007, the unauthorized immigrant population more than tripled.
Where Do Immigrants Come From
- About 11.2 million U.S. immigrants come from Mexico, accounting for 25% of all American immigrants.
- China accounts for 6% of America’s immigrant population.
- 6% of the immigrant population in America comes from India.
- 4% comes from the Philippines.
- 3% originated from El Salvador.
Is the Immigrant Population Growing?
Since the Immigration and Nationality Act was passed in 1985, immigrants have steadily increased in America. In 2065, it is estimated that there will be 78.2 million immigrants in America. U.S. immigrants and their descendants are projected to account for 88% of the U.S. population growth through the year 2065. In 2018, more immigrant women gave birth than U.S.-born citizens.
Where Do They Live?
Nearly half of the U.S. immigrant population lives in California (24%), Texas (11%), and Florida (10%). In 2018, California had the largest immigrant population of 10.6 million, with Texas, Florida, and New York following with more than 4 million immigrants each.
