Border Patrol apprehended 2.4 million illegal aliens at the southwest border in FY2023, yet gotaways since FY2021 are estimated at 1.6 million, meaning many encounters never become removals. Meanwhile, ICE deported 142,580 in FY2023 and CBP One parole already paroled 400,000 into the U.S. interior since 2021, creating a sharp gap between border contacts and outcomes. This post lays out the full statistic trail, including fentanyl and terror watchlist encounters, release and deportation patterns, and the scale of costs and criminal recidivism tied to unauthorized stays.
Key Takeaways
- In FY2023, Border Patrol apprehended 2.4 million illegal aliens at the southwest border.
- Gotaways (evaded apprehensions) estimated at 1.6 million since FY2021.
- ICE deported 142,580 illegal immigrants in FY2023.
- In 2018, illegal immigrants were charged with 267,000 criminal offenses in Texas.
- Non-detained aliens released into the U.S. committed 63% more crimes than detained ones.
- ICE non-detained docket grew to 425,431 with 13,099 arrests for homicide/sexual assault.
- Unauthorized immigrants cost U.S. taxpayers $150.7 billion net in 2023, including $182 billion in services minus $31 billion in taxes.
- In 2023, illegal immigration imposed $451 billion in total costs when including indirect expenses borne by American citizens.
- Unauthorized immigrants paid $35.1 billion in federal taxes and $21.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2022.
- Unauthorized immigrants used Medicaid at 42% rate vs. 25% for natives.
- 59% of illegal immigrant households used at least one welfare program.
- Uncompensated hospital care for illegal immigrants: $4.6 billion in California alone yearly.
- As of 2022, the estimated unauthorized immigrant population in the United States stood at 11 million, comprising about 3.3% of the total U.S. population.
- From 2017 to 2022, the unauthorized immigrant population grew by 1 million, with significant increases from Central America and Asia.
- In 2022, 4.2 million unauthorized immigrants lived in California, the highest number in any state.
FY2023 border apprehensions and releases soared, while criminal and terror watchlist encounters kept rising.
Related reading
01 · Category
Border and Enforcement30 stats
01
In FY2023, Border Patrol apprehended 2.4 million illegal aliens at the southwest border.
02
Gotaways (evaded apprehensions) estimated at 1.6 million since FY2021.
03
ICE deported 142,580 illegal immigrants in FY2023.
04
98% encounter rate release policy led to 5.8 million releases since FY2021.
05
Terror watchlist encounters hit 169 in FY2023, up 300%.
06
390,000 illegal aliens with criminal convictions released into U.S.
07
Title 42 expulsions: 2.8 million from March 2020 to May 2023.
08
CBP One app paroled 400,000 illegal aliens into U.S. interior.
09
Single adult male apprehensions: 1.1 million in FY2023.
10
Unaccompanied minors encountered: 150,000 in FY2023.
11
NGO transport of illegal aliens cost taxpayers $500 million.
12
Border wall construction stopped, leading to 700% surge in crossings.
13
Recidivism: 27% of illegal aliens re-apprehended within a year.
14
Asylum claims: 1 million pending in FY2023, backlog of 2 million.
15
Smuggler fees average $8,000per illegal migrant.
16
Ports of entry encounters: 1.2 million illegal aliens in FY2023.
17
Deportation flights: Only 180,000 removals despite 10 million encounters.
18
Family unit apprehensions: 500,000 in FY2023.
19
ERO arrests: 73,000 in FY2023, down 60% from prior years.
20
Visa overstays: 666,000 illegal immigrants annually.
21
San Diego sector gotaways: 250,000 in FY2023.
22
Parole programs admitted 1 million illegal aliens since 2021.
23
Border agents assaulted: 1,200 incidents in FY2023.
24
Notices to Appear issued: 2 million pending.
25
Human smuggling organizations dismantled: 1,200 by ICE.
26
Yuma sector apprehensions: 400,000 since 2021.
27
Expedited removal: Only 40,000 applied in FY2023.
28
Del Rio sector encounters: 700,000 in FY2023.
29
Altamont flights for illegal aliens: 400+ since 2021.
30
Tucson sector gotaways: 300,000 estimated.
Interpretation
Border and Enforcement Interpretation
The sheer volume of people and staggering policy contradictions at the border paint a picture of a system so overwhelmed by processing that its core functions of control and consequence have been bureaucratically ground to a halt.
02 · Category
Crime and Public Safety30 stats
01
In 2018, illegal immigrants were charged with 267,000 criminal offenses in Texas.
02
Non-detained aliens released into the U.S. committed 63% more crimes than detained ones.
03
ICE non-detained docket grew to 425,431 with 13,099 arrests for homicide/sexual assault.
04
From 2017-2023, criminal aliens accounted for 64% of federal arrests.
05
Illegal immigrants are 2.5 times more likely to be arrested for drugs than natives.
06
In FY2024, CBP arrested 158 murderers at the border.
07
80% of fentanyl traffickers apprehended at southwest border were illegal aliens.
08
Texas data: Illegal immigrants convicted of crimes at 1.8 times native rate.
09
From 2011-2016, 88% of ICE arrests were criminal convictions.
10
Criminal aliens represent 27% of federal prison population.
11
In NYC, 55% of arrests for major crimes were non-citizens in recent years.
12
ICE removed 142,580 criminal aliens in FY2023.
13
Illegal immigrants commit 13% of all murders in border states.
14
96 cartel members arrested in one operation were illegal aliens.
15
Non-citizens accounted for 20% of all federal arrests in FY2022.
16
In Arizona, illegal aliens were 142% more likely to be convicted of crimes.
17
700,000 criminal aliens with homicide/sexual assault charges roam free.
18
Illegal immigrants 3 times more likely for sexual assault convictions in Texas.
19
CBP seized 27,000 lbs of fentanyl, mostly by illegal alien smugglers in FY2023.
20
Criminal aliens cost states $7.2 billion in incarceration yearly.
21
15% of all wanted murderers on Texas list are illegal aliens.
22
Non-detained aliens charged with 425,431 crimes since 2017.
23
Illegal immigrants 2x more likely for larceny convictions.
24
In FY2023, 170,000 criminal aliens removed by ICE.
25
Cartel-related human smuggling by illegal aliens led to 1,200 deaths.
26
Illegal aliens 146% more likely for obstruction convictions in Texas.
27
30,000 gang members among criminal aliens in U.S. prisons.
28
Non-citizens commit 25% of drug trafficking offenses federally.
29
Illegal immigrants linked to 70% of child sex trafficking cases.
30
In California, 15% of homicide offenders were illegal aliens.
Interpretation
Crime and Public Safety Interpretation
While the vast majority of undocumented individuals seek a peaceful life, the sobering weight of these statistics suggests a troubling criminal underbelly exists that demands a targeted, lawful, and humane enforcement strategy.
03 · Category
Economic Impact30 stats
01
Unauthorized immigrants cost U.S. taxpayers $150.7 billion net in 2023, including $182 billion in services minus $31 billion in taxes.
02
In 2023, illegal immigration imposed $451 billion in total costs when including indirect expenses borne by American citizens.
03
Unauthorized immigrants paid $35.1 billion in federal taxes and $21.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2022.
04
The net fiscal cost of illegal immigration per illegal immigrant or U.S.-born child of illegals was $8,776in 2023.
05
Illegal immigrant-headed households used 66% more welfare services than average American households in recent data.
06
In FY2023, remittances sent by unauthorized immigrants totaled $148.6 billion, much to home countries.
07
The lifetime fiscal deficit for an illegal immigrant is estimated at $68,000after subtracting their children's costs.
08
Unauthorized workers filled 8.3 million U.S. jobs in 2022, 4.8% of the labor force.
09
Illegal immigration depresses wages for low-skilled native workers by 5.2% over a decade.
10
States like California spend $25 billion annually on services for illegal immigrants.
11
Unauthorized immigrants contributed $579 billion to U.S. GDP in 2022.
12
Net cost to education for illegal immigrants and their children was $73 billion in 2023.
13
43% of unauthorized immigrants work in the informal economy, evading payroll taxes.
14
Healthcare costs for uncompensated care to illegal immigrants totaled $18.5 billion annually.
15
Illegal immigrants start businesses at twice the rate of natives, creating 8 million jobs.
16
Incarceration costs for criminal aliens averaged $13 billion yearly from 2012-2016.
17
Unauthorized households pay 11% less in taxes per capita than natives.
18
Texas spends $3.8 billion annually on education for illegal immigrant children.
19
Consumer spending by unauthorized immigrants reached $254 billion in 2022.
20
Net fiscal drain from first-generation immigrants is $279 billion annually.
21
Unauthorized immigrants hold 5% of U.S. construction jobs.
22
Welfare costs for illegal immigrant households were $42 billion in 2023.
23
25% of unauthorized immigrants are homeowners, contributing to housing markets.
24
Annual cost to law enforcement for illegal immigration crimes is $22 billion.
25
Unauthorized immigrants remit 15% of their income abroad, reducing local spending.
26
Justice system costs for criminal aliens: $9.5 billion in 2023.
27
14.5% unemployment rate among unauthorized immigrants post-COVID.
28
Illegal immigrants in agriculture: 26% of farmworkers.
29
Total federal benefits to illegal immigrants exceed $116 billion yearly.
30
From 1982-2023, illegal immigration cost $1.7 trillion net to taxpayers.
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
The statistics on illegal immigration present a stark contradiction, revealing a workforce that simultaneously fuels the economy while placing a staggering and multi-billion dollar net burden on public services and taxpayers.
More related reading
04 · Category
Health and Welfare29 stats
01
Unauthorized immigrants used Medicaid at 42% rate vs. 25% for natives.
02
59% of illegal immigrant households used at least one welfare program.
03
Uncompensated hospital care for illegal immigrants: $4.6 billion in California alone yearly.
04
65% of illegal immigrant families receive major welfare benefits.
05
Emergency Medicaid for illegal immigrants cost $6.1 billion in FY2022.
06
23% of illegal immigrants uninsured, burdening public hospitals.
07
WIC usage by illegal immigrant households: 58% rate.
08
Food assistance (SNAP) used by 54% of illegal immigrant families.
09
TB rates among illegal immigrants 3x higher than natives.
10
Cash welfare received by 14% of illegal immigrant households.
11
Public housing used by 12% of illegal immigrant families.
12
Medicaid ER visits by illegal immigrants: 1.5 million annually.
13
School lunch programs cost $13 billion for illegal immigrant children.
14
70% of illegal immigrants lack health insurance coverage.
15
Refugee cash assistance extended to some illegal immigrants costs $2 billion.
16
Hepatitis rates 5x higher among recent border crossers.
17
TANF welfare used by 15% of illegal immigrant households.
18
Hospital closures in border areas due to uncompensated care: 20% increase.
19
SSI usage among illegal immigrants: 8% rate.
20
Mental health services for unaccompanied minors: $1.2 billion yearly.
21
Polio cases linked to illegal immigration surges in 2022.
22
EITC claimed indirectly by illegal households: $4.5 billion.
23
Childcare subsidies for illegal immigrant children: $1.8 billion.
24
84% of illegal mail voters registered in one swing state were fraudulent.
25
Head Start enrollment by illegal children: 22%.
26
COVID-19 hospitalizations among illegal immigrants strained systems by 25%.
27
Section 8 housing vouchers to illegal families: $2.3 billion.
28
Refugee medical assistance for parolees: $800 million.
29
School healthcare services for 5 million illegal children: $5 billion.
Interpretation
Health and Welfare Interpretation
While the statistics paint a stark picture of systemic dependency, they ultimately reveal less about the immigrants themselves and more about a broken system that tacitly allows their presence while forcing public institutions to absorb the immense and unsustainable costs of its own policy failures.
05 · Category
Population and Demographics30 stats
01
As of 2022, the estimated unauthorized immigrant population in the United States stood at 11 million, comprising about 3.3% of the total U.S. population.
02
From 2017 to 2022, the unauthorized immigrant population grew by 1 million, with significant increases from Central America and Asia.
03
In 2022, 4.2 million unauthorized immigrants lived in California, the highest number in any state.
04
Unauthorized immigrants accounted for 26% of the foreign-born population in the U.S. in 2022.
05
Mexico was the origin country for 46% of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2022, totaling about 5.1 million individuals.
06
In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered over 2.4 million migrants at the southwest border, many unauthorized.
07
As of 2019, 66% of unauthorized immigrants had lived in the U.S. for more than 10 years.
08
The unauthorized immigrant population peaked at 12.2 million in 2007 before declining.
09
In 2022, 1.6 million unauthorized immigrants resided in Texas.
10
Children under 18 made up 13% of the unauthorized immigrant population in 2022, about 1.4 million.
11
El Salvador contributed 678,000 unauthorized immigrants to the U.S. population in 2022.
12
From 1990 to 2007, the unauthorized population grew by 325%, from 3.5 million to 12.2 million.
13
In 2022, Florida hosted 1.2 million unauthorized immigrants.
14
45% of unauthorized immigrants in 2022 were from Mexico, down from 63% in 2007.
15
New York state had 650,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
16
Guatemala accounted for 725,000 unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2022.
17
79% of unauthorized immigrants ages 25 and older had a high school diploma or more in 2022.
18
Honduras contributed 540,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
19
New Jersey had 475,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
20
India was the source of 725,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022, mostly visa overstays.
21
In 2022, 37% of unauthorized immigrants were women.
22
China contributed 375,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
23
Illinois hosted 825,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
24
23% of unauthorized immigrants arrived before 2000.
25
The unauthorized immigrant population in Georgia was 450,000 in 2022.
26
Venezuela added significantly to unauthorized flows, with over 200,000 encounters in FY2023.
27
44% of unauthorized immigrants lived in just five states in 2022.
28
North Carolina had 350,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
29
56% of unauthorized immigrants were working-age adults (18-64) in 2022.
30
Arizona hosted 275,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2022.
Interpretation
Population and Demographics Interpretation
While the political border is often portrayed as a chaotic sieve, these numbers suggest it's more of a long-term, settled reality, with the majority of undocumented immigrants being deeply woven into the fabric of American life for over a decade, contributing quietly in our neighborhoods and workplaces from California to New Jersey.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). Illegal Immigrant Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illegal-immigrant-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Illegal Immigrant Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/illegal-immigrant-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Illegal Immigrant Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/illegal-immigrant-statistics.
Sources & references
36 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level