While record-breaking border encounters capture headlines, the true story of American immigration is found in the numbers that reveal a dynamic nation shaped by generations of newcomers who power the economy, fill critical jobs, and enrich communities.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 2,766,582 migrants at the southwest land border, the highest on record.
- CBP arrested 706,000 individuals for illegal border crossings in FY 2023, excluding Title 42 expulsions.
- ICE detained 170,000 immigrants in FY 2023, with an average daily population of 36,000.
- The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States was estimated at 11.0 million in 2022, down slightly from 11.3 million in 2019.
- 45% of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. have lived there for more than a decade as of 2022.
- The foreign-born share of the U.S. population hit a record 14.3% in 2023.
- Immigrants accounted for 18.6% of the U.S. labor force in 2023, with foreign-born workers making up 29.5 million of the total 158.3 million workforce.
- Undocumented immigrants paid $35.1 billion in federal taxes and $21.2 billion in state and local taxes in 2022.
- Immigrants founded or co-founded 55% of U.S. billion-dollar startups valued since 2000.
- In 2021, the top five countries of origin for new lawful permanent residents (LPRs) were Mexico (15%), India (12%), China (7%), Dominican Republic (5%), and Philippines (5%).
- As of FY 2023, there were 3.7 million immigration cases pending in U.S. immigration courts.
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program had 581,000 active recipients as of September 2023.
- Second-generation immigrants (children of immigrants) have a college completion rate of 36% compared to 34% for third-generation Americans in 2021.
- 76% of immigrants report speaking English well or very well after 10+ years in the U.S., per 2022 data.
- Immigrant households had a poverty rate of 17% in 2022, compared to 11% for U.S.-born households.
Immigration faces record challenges but fuels American economic strength and cultural diversity.
Demographics
- The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States was estimated at 11.0 million in 2022, down slightly from 11.3 million in 2019.
- 45% of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. have lived there for more than a decade as of 2022.
- The foreign-born share of the U.S. population hit a record 14.3% in 2023.
- Mexico remains the largest origin country for U.S. immigrants, with 10.7 million Mexican-born residents in 2022.
- Asian immigrants now outnumber Hispanic immigrants in the U.S. for the first time, 15.5 million vs. 14.8 million in 2023.
- The median age of immigrants in the U.S. is 47 years, compared to 37 for U.S.-born in 2022.
- Children with immigrant parents make up 25% of U.S. public school students in 2022.
- Top origin for unauthorized immigrants: Mexico (49%), Central America (25%) in 2022.
- U.S. foreign-born population grew by 5.1 million from 2018-2023.
- Indian immigrants: 2.8 million in U.S., highest education levels at 80% college grads.
- Salvadoran immigrants: 2.5 million, largest Central American group in 2022.
- Canadian-born in U.S.: 800,000, stable population in 2022.
- Nigerian immigrants: 430,000, highest African group with 60% college grads.
- German-born immigrants: 130,000 in U.S., declining 10% since 2010.
- Venezuelan immigrants surged to 800,000 in U.S. by 2023.
- Filipino immigrants: 2.1 million, 5th largest group in 2022.
- Guatemalan immigrants: 1.8 million in U.S. 2022.
- Honduran immigrants: 950,000 in U.S. 2022.
- Cuban immigrants: 1.3 million, stable since 2020.
- Colombian immigrants: 780,000 in U.S. 2023.
- Dominican immigrants: 2.4 million, high remittances $10B annually.
- Haitian immigrants: 730,000 in U.S. 2022.
- Peruvian immigrants: 450,000, growing 20% since 2010.
- Ecuadorian immigrants doubled to 600,000 since 2018.
- Jamaican immigrants: 800,000, high entrepreneurship rates.
- Brazilian immigrants: 500,000, up 30% since 2010.
Demographics Interpretation
While the narrative obsesses over a shrinking undocumented population that's increasingly rooted and aging, America is quietly being reshaped by a record influx of diverse, highly educated newcomers from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, proving the real story isn't who's coming over the wall, but who's filling our classrooms, starting businesses, and powering an increasingly gray-haired economy.
Economics
- Immigrants accounted for 18.6% of the U.S. labor force in 2023, with foreign-born workers making up 29.5 million of the total 158.3 million workforce.
- Undocumented immigrants paid $35.1 billion in federal taxes and $21.2 billion in state and local taxes in 2022.
- Immigrants founded or co-founded 55% of U.S. billion-dollar startups valued since 2000.
- H-1B visas issued to 391,000 beneficiaries in FY 2023, primarily for tech and engineering roles.
- Immigrants contributed $2 trillion to U.S. GDP in 2022 through labor and entrepreneurship.
- Foreign-born workers fill 36% of healthcare jobs in the U.S. as of 2023.
- Immigrant-owned businesses generated $1.3 trillion in sales and employed 8 million workers in 2022.
- Immigrants have 15% higher patent rates per capita than U.S.-born.
- Undocumented immigrants' share of workforce: 4.8% in 2023.
- Immigrants pay 10-15% more in taxes relative to benefits received.
- H-2A temporary agricultural visas: 370,000 issued in FY 2023.
- Foreign-born entrepreneurs start businesses at twice the rate of natives.
- Immigrants fill 28% of STEM jobs in U.S. in 2023.
- Remittances from U.S. immigrants: $80 billion to Mexico alone in 2023.
- Average wage premium for immigrants: 10% higher after 20 years.
- Immigrants' share of U.S. inventors: 35% of patents 2000-2020.
- Construction industry: 25% foreign-born workers in 2023.
- Hospitality sector: 22% immigrant labor force in 2023.
- Manufacturing: Immigrants 20% of workforce, added 1 million jobs 2019-2023.
- Agriculture: 42% foreign-born farmworkers in 2023.
- Transportation sector: 18% immigrant workers in 2023.
- Retail trade: 17% foreign-born employment in 2023.
- Professional services: 25% immigrants in legal/medical fields.
- Education services: 30% foreign-born teachers aides.
- Waste management: 25% immigrant workforce in 2023.
- Personal care services: 28% foreign-born in 2023.
Economics Interpretation
While debates rage over a hypothetical "invasion," the data tells a simpler story: we’re arguing about whether to keep the people who patch us up, feed us, build our homes, power our economy, and occasionally invent the future.
Enforcement
- In fiscal year 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 2,766,582 migrants at the southwest land border, the highest on record.
- CBP arrested 706,000 individuals for illegal border crossings in FY 2023, excluding Title 42 expulsions.
- ICE detained 170,000 immigrants in FY 2023, with an average daily population of 36,000.
- Border Patrol apprehended 1.7 million family units and single minors at the southwest border in FY 2022.
- Deportations (removals) by ICE totaled 142,580 in FY 2023.
- Encounters of single adults at the border reached 1.1 million in FY 2023.
- CBP expelled 2.8 million migrants under Title 42 from March 2020 to May 2023.
- ICE removals of criminal noncitizens: 78,000 in FY 2023.
- Southwest border encounters dropped 50% after Title 42 ended in FY 2024 Q1.
- Border wall construction: 458 miles built as of 2023.
- Criminal convictions among deportees: 64% had criminal records in FY 2023.
- USBP sectors: San Diego had 250,000 encounters in FY 2023.
- Gotaways (evaded detection) estimated at 1.8 million from FY 2021-2023.
- Narcotics seizures at border: 27,000 lbs fentanyl in FY 2023.
- ERO fugitive operations: 11,000 arrests in FY 2023.
- Tunnel detections at border: 17 in FY 2023, mostly drug-related.
- Air and marine interdictions: 25,000 smuggling events disrupted FY 2023.
- Firearms seizures at ports: 6,500 in FY 2023.
- CBP One app encounters: 500,000 processed since Jan 2023.
- Human smuggling prosecutions: 1,200 cases in FY 2023.
- Overstays: 666,000 visa overstays estimated in FY 2022.
- False documents seizures: 1.2 million at borders FY 2023.
- Maritime encounters: 12,000 in Florida Straits FY 2023.
- Interior removals by ICE: 64,000 non-criminal in FY 2023.
- Cash seizures at border: $140 million in FY 2023.
- NGO rescues at sea: 5,000 migrants assisted FY 2023.
Enforcement Interpretation
These numbers paint a picture of a system simultaneously overwhelmed by sheer volume, stretched by humanitarian needs, and engaged in a relentless, high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse against smuggling networks and illicit traffic.
Integration
- Second-generation immigrants (children of immigrants) have a college completion rate of 36% compared to 34% for third-generation Americans in 2021.
- 76% of immigrants report speaking English well or very well after 10+ years in the U.S., per 2022 data.
- Immigrant households had a poverty rate of 17% in 2022, compared to 11% for U.S.-born households.
- 62% of immigrants are naturalized U.S. citizens, totaling 23.8 million in 2022.
- Intermarriage rates among Hispanics rose to 29% in 2021, indicating integration.
- 88% of DACA recipients are employed, contributing $41 billion annually to GDP.
- English proficiency among immigrants: 52% speak English proficiently in 2022.
- 70% of immigrants report high life satisfaction after 5 years in U.S.
- Second-gen immigrants outperform natives in education by 5-10 percentile points.
- Immigrant voter turnout: 75% among naturalized citizens in 2020.
- Cultural assimilation: 3rd-gen immigrants fully adopt U.S. norms per 2022 studies.
- Homeownership among immigrants: 52% vs. 74% natives in 2022.
- Religious diversity: Muslims 7%, Hindus 5% among recent immigrants.
- Civic engagement: Immigrants volunteer at rates similar to natives after 10 years.
- Health outcomes: Immigrant children have lower obesity rates (15% vs 20%).
- Intergenerational mobility: Immigrant kids exceed parents' income 50% of time.
- Mental health access: 40% of immigrants uninsured vs 8% natives.
- Educational attainment: 35% of immigrants have bachelor's degree or higher.
- Family reunification: 80% of immigrants cite family as reason for migration.
- Community ties: 65% of immigrants own homes after 20 years.
- Political participation: Immigrants 12% of electorate post-naturalization.
- Wage convergence: Immigrants reach native median wage after 25 years.
- Social cohesion: 55% of neighbors trust immigrant communities.
- Health insurance: Immigrants 30% less likely to be insured initially.
- Family stability: Immigrant divorce rates 10% lower than natives.
Integration Interpretation
While the journey is marked by persistent economic hurdles and complex integration, immigrants and their children consistently demonstrate remarkable resilience and aspiration, outstripping educational benchmarks, driving civic engagement, and steadily building lives that enrich the nation's fabric.
Policy
- In 2021, the top five countries of origin for new lawful permanent residents (LPRs) were Mexico (15%), India (12%), China (7%), Dominican Republic (5%), and Philippines (5%).
- As of FY 2023, there were 3.7 million immigration cases pending in U.S. immigration courts.
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program had 581,000 active recipients as of September 2023.
- The U.S. granted asylum to 36,600 individuals in FY 2022, up from 17,700 in FY 2021.
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was granted to 900,000 immigrants from 17 countries as of 2023.
- Family-based green cards issued: 440,000 in FY 2022, comprising 64% of all LPRs.
- Employment-based green cards: 107,000 issued in FY 2022.
- Refugee admissions: 25,500 in FY 2023, mainly from Congo, Afghanistan, Syria.
- Diversity Visa lottery issued 55,000 visas in FY 2023.
- Parole programs admitted 1.2 million migrants via CHNV and Ukraine in 2023.
- U.S. naturalizations: 969,000 in FY 2023, highest since 2008.
- EB-5 investor visas: 11,000 issued in FY 2022, creating 250,000 jobs.
- Asylum applications pending: 1.5 million in immigration courts FY 2023.
- Student visas (F-1): 430,000 issued in FY 2023.
- VAWA self-petitions approved: 18,000 in FY 2022.
- U visa cap reached: 10,000 annually for crime victims since 2010.
- T visa issuances for trafficking victims: 2,500 in FY 2022.
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: 12,000 grants in FY 2022.
- Registry program: No adjustments since 1973 cutoff date.
- Nicaraguan Adjustment program beneficiaries: 250,000 since 1990.
- Lautenberg parole for religious minorities: 20,000 since 1989.
- TPS extensions for Haitians: 110,000 designated in 2023.
- Afghan parole: 170,000 admitted post-2021 withdrawal.
- Ukrainian parole: 230,000 admitted by 2023.
- CHNV parole: 530,000 Cubans/Haitians/Nicaraguans/Venezuelans paroled.
- Compact of Free Association: 20,000 Micronesians migrate annually.
Policy Interpretation
This data paints a picture of an American immigration system that is both a beacon of hope and a monument to bureaucracy, simultaneously granting new life to millions while keeping millions more in agonizing legal limbo.
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