(Almost) 200 Years of Legal Immigration Numbers

The Department of Homeland Security's Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is chock full of interesting numbers. Table 1 of the Yearbook displays the annual number of legal immigrants to the United States in every year going back almost 200 years—to 1820. These numbers provide context for today's immigration debate...

• Number of legal immigrants admitted to the United States in 1820: 8,385
• First year the annual number of legal immigrants exceeded 100,000: 1842
• First year the annual number of legal immigrants exceeded 1,000,000: 1905
• Number of years annual legal immigration has exceeded 1,000,000: 23
• Peak number of annual legal immigrants: 1.8 million in 1991
• Number of years annual legal immigrants were at least 1% of total population: 21
• Most recent year annual legal immigrants were at least 1% of population: 1914
• Number of legal immigrants in most recent year (2017): 1.1 million
• Number of years annual legal immigration has exceeded 2017 level: 8
• Legal immigrants in 2017 as percent of total US population: 0.35%
• Number of years annual legal immigration has exceeded 0.35% of population: 91

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Department of Homeland Security's 2017 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics

Unauthorized Immigrant Population Peaked in 2012

The number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States has fallen by 1.7 million since the 2012 peak. There were 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. in 2017, according to estimates by Pew Research Center's Jeffrey S. Passel and D'Vera Cohn. This is well below the 12.2 million of 2012. Behind the decline is a steep drop in unauthorized immigrants from Mexico, with the number falling from 6.9 million (57 percent of the total) in 2012 to 4.9 million (47 percent of the total) in 2017. The number from Mexico declined because, since 2012, more have left the U.S. than have arrived here.

The shift in the origin of unauthorized immigrants in the United States is a sign of change, says Pew. "A growing share of U.S. unauthorized immigrants do not cross the border illegally, but probably arrive with legal visas and overstay their required departure date," Pew explains.

Of the 46 million foreign-born residents of the United States, 23 percent are unauthorized immigrants, according to Pew estimates...

Total foreign-born population = 45.6 million in 2017
45% are naturalized citizens (20.7 million)
27% are lawful permanent residents (12.3 million)
23% are unauthorized immigrants (10.5 million)
5% are temporary lawful residents (2.2 million)

Source: Pew Research Center, Mexicans Decline to Less than Half the U.S. Unauthorized Immigrant Population for the First Time

10.7 Million Unauthorized Immigrants in the U.S.

The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States is shrinking, according to a Pew Research Center report. In 2016, there were 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S., down from the peak of 12.2 million in 2007. Behind the decline are fewer unauthorized immigrants from Mexico, their number falling from 6.95 million in 2007 to 5.45 million in 2016. As the number of Mexicans has declined, the number of Central Americans has grown, rising from 1.50 million in 2007 to 1.85 million in 2016.

Pew's report examines not only trends in the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States, but also their characteristics. Here are some of the findings...

• Most unauthorized adult immigrants are long-term residents, having been in the country for a median of 14.8 years.
• Nearly 700,000 young adults in the U.S. were brought here illegally as children and have temporary protection from deportation under DACA. 
• 5 million American-born children live with unauthorized immigrant parents.
• The share of K–12 students who have at least one unauthorized immigrant parent is 20 percent in Nevada, 13 percent in Texas and California, and 11 percent in Arizona and Colorado.
• Unauthorized immigrants account for 24 percent of the nation's foreign-born population. 
• Unauthorized immigrants are 4.8 percent of the U.S. labor force. They account for 24 percent of the farm workforce and 15 percent of construction workers.

Pew Research Center, U.S. Unauthorized Immigrant Total Dips to Lowest Level in a Decade

Who's Afraid of Illegal Immigrants?

Although President Trump has attempted to instill in the American public a fear of undocumented immigrants, his efforts have failed to persuade most of us. In fact, a larger share of the public is afraid of Trump himself (59 percent) than of illegal immigrants (41 percent), according to the Chapman University Survey of American Fears...

Fear of illegal immigrants
59.3% are not afraid
19.3% are slightly afraid
12.2% are afraid
  9.3% are very afraid

Source: Chapman University Survey of American Fears, Fear of Immigration

True or False: Most Immigrants Are Here Legally

True, but most Americans do not know that. Only 45 percent of the public knows that most immigrants in the United States are here legally, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Nearly as many (42 percent) think most immigrants are here illegally, and 13 percent say they do not know. By age, here is the percentage of Americans who say (correctly) that most immigrants in the U.S. are here legally...

Most immigrants are in the U.S. legally 
Aged 18 to 29: 58%
Aged 30 to 49: 47%
Aged 50 to 64: 39%
Aged 65-plus: 35%

Among people aged 50 or older, the share who think most immigrants in the U.S. are here illegally (45 to 46 percent) surpasses the share who think most are legal.

Source: Pew Research Center, Shifting Public Views on Legal Immigration into the U.S.

Surprises in the 2017 Population Projections

The Census Bureau's new population projections (vintage 2017) are interesting for a number of reasons—slowing growth, the aging of the population, the decline in non-Hispanic Whites, and minorities becoming the majority. Also interesting is how they differ from the previous projection series, produced in 2014. A look at how the bureau revised its estimates of births, deaths, and net international migration reveals the unexpected trends reshaping us now.

• The population is growing more slowly than expected. The size of the American population in the future will be less than what the Bureau had projected just a few years ago, and the differences will pile up quickly. The 2020 population will be smaller by 2 million than what the bureau projected for that date in its 2014 vintage projections. In 2060, the population will be 13 million less than the previous projection for that year (404 million versus 417 million). 
• Women will have fewer babies than expected. Compared to the 2014 projection series, the latest series forecasts 3 million fewer births during the 2017 to 2060 time period. The ongoing baby bust and reduced immigration are behind the muted births. Overall, the annual number of births is forecast to rise from about 4 million today to 4.38 million in 2060. The earlier projection series forecast 4.52 million births a year by 2060. 
• Fewer immigrants will come to the United States. Compared to the 2014 projection series, the latest series projects 14 million fewer net international migrants over the 2017 to 2060 time period. Even this smaller projected number of migrants may be too optimistic because it does not take into account Trump administration policies that could further curb immigration. The annual net number of international migrants is forecast to be about 1.1 million during most of the 2017 to 2060 period, down from the 1.3 to 1.5 million previously projected.
• Fewer deaths will occur during the forecast period. Compared to the 2014 series, the bureau projects 5 million fewer deaths during the 2017 to 2060 time period. This makes sense since the population will be smaller. The annual number of deaths is projected to rise from 2.7 million today to 3.9 million by 2060—less than the projected 4.1 million annual deaths by 2060 in the earlier projection series. But this forecast of fewer deaths may be overly optimistic. According to Tom Lawler, a housing economist writing in Calculated Risk, the latest mortality projections do not incorporate the recent increase in deaths among young and middle-aged adults. Indeed, the bureau assumes rising life expectancy for all groups rather than the decline of the past two years. 

If the number of immigrants is further reduced by Trump's policies, and if there are more deaths than predicted, then U.S. population growth over the next few decades may be even slower than forecast by the new projections.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's 2017 National Population Projections

How Many Millennials Were Born in the United States?

Among Millennials, place of birth varies greatly by race and Hispanic origin, according to the latest bimonthly GenForward Survey. The survey defines Millennials as those aged 18 to 34.

Millennials born in the United States
Whites: 95%
Blacks: 91%
Hispanics: 57%
Asians: 53%

A substantial 26 percent of Asian Millennials are naturalized U.S. citizens, the survey finds. This is a much larger share than in any other group. The figure is only 6 percent among Hispanics, 4 percent among Blacks, and 3 percent among Whites. Eleven percent of Hispanic Millennials say they are undocumented immigrants.

Source: GenForward January 2018—Who Belongs? Millennial Attitudes on Immigration

Legal Immigrants: Top 5 States, 2015

Of the 1,051,031 immigrants who were granted legal permanent residence in the United States in 2015, the 58 percent majority settled in just five states.

Number (and percent) of legal immigrants, 2015
California:     209,568 (19.9%)
New York:     130,010 (12.4%)
Florida:          118,873 (11.3%)
Texas:              99,727 (9.5%)
New Jersey:     49,801 (4.7%)

Source: Department of Homeland Security, 2015 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics

Legal Immigrants: Top 10 Countries, 2015

The United States granted legal permanent residence to 1,051,031 immigrants in 2015. Ten countries accounted for the 52 percent majority of legal immigrants. Those countries are...

Legal immigrants in 2015
Mexico: 158,619
China: 74,558
India: 64,116
Philippines: 56,478
Cuba: 54,396
Dominican Republic: 50,610
Vietnam: 30,832
Iraq: 21,107
El Salvador: 19,487
Pakistan: 18,057

Source: Department of Homeland Security, 2015 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics

One In Four Children Has Immigrant Parent

Twenty-four percent of American children under age 18 have at least one parent who is an immigrant, according to an Urban Institute report, up from 21 percent in 2006. Most children with an immigrant parent were born in the United States, making them U.S. citizens.

The children of immigrants "account for all growth in the child population between 2006 and 2014," notes the report. Between 2006 and 2014, the number of children with an immigrant parent grew 12 percent, while the number with two native-born parents fell 3 percent.

Source, Urban Institute, Demographic Trends of Children of Immigrants

11.1 Million Undocumented Immigrants

The number of undocumented immigrants in the United States has been stable for the past few years, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of American Community Survey data. In 2014, there were an estimated 11.1 million undocumented immigrants in the country, down from a peak of 12.2 million in 2007. Here are a few of the findings from Pew's comprehensive examination of the unauthorized immigrant population in 2014...

• Unauthorized immigrants have been in the U.S. a median of 13.6 years.
• Just over half are from Mexico (5.8 million). 
• The number of unauthorized immigrants from Mexico has fallen since peaking at 6.9 million in 2007, while the number from other countries has grown. 
• Unauthorized immigrants account for 26% of the nation's 43.6 million foreign-born.
• Most unauthorized immigrants live in six states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois.

Source: Pew Research Center, Overall Number of U.S. Unauthorized Immigrants Holds Steady Since 2009

Immigrants by State and Metro, 2014

Over 1 million immigrants were granted permanent legal residence in the United States in 2014. Fully 59 percent of those immigrants settled in just five states: California, New York, Florida, Texas, and New Jersey. The 53 percent majority settled in only 10 metropolitan areas...

Legal Immigration in 2014: Top 10 Metros
Total immigrants: 1,016,518 (100.0%)
Top 10 metros: 539,044 (53.0%)

1. New York: 174,714 (17.2%)
2. Los Angeles: 80,527 (7.9%)
3. Miami: 72,038 (7.1%)
4. Washington, DC: 39,531 (3.9%)
5. Houston: 33,858 (3.3%)
6. Chicago: 33,042 (3.3%)
7. San Francisco: 32,904 (3.2%)
8. Dallas: 28,780 (2.8%)
9. Boston: 24,026 (2.4%)
10. Atlanta: 19,628 (1.9)

Source: Department of Homeland Security, 2014 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics

1 Million Legal Immigrants in 2014

Just over 1 million immigrants were granted legal permanent residence in the United States in 2014, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The 2014 number was slightly greater than the 990,553 of 2013 but fewer than in any other year since 2004. The peak year for legal immigration was 1991, when 1.8 million immigrants were admitted to the United States.

Legal Immigrants in 2014: Top 10 Countries of Birth
Total immigrants: 1,016,518 (100.0%)
Top 10 countries: 518,433 (51.0%)

1. Mexico: 134,052 (13.2%)
2. India: 77,908 (7.7%)
3. China: 76,089 (7.5%)
4. Philippines: 49,996 (4.9%)
5. Cuba: 46,679 (4.6%)
6. Dominican Republic: 44,577 (4.4%)
7. Vietnam: 30,283 (3.0%)
8. South Korea: 20,423 (2.0%)
9. El Salvador: 19,273 (1.9%)
10. Iraq: 19,153 (1.9%)

Source: Department of Homeland Security, 2014 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics

24% of Nation's Children Have Immigrant Parent(s)

Nearly one in four children under age 18 in the United States has at least one immigrant parent, according to an Urban Institute study. The number of children with at least one immigrant parent grew by 1.9 million between 2006 and 2013. At the same time, the number of children with native-born parents fell by 1.3 million.

Nine out of 10 children of immigrants are U.S. citizens. Nearly half (48 percent) live in just 10 metropolitan areas: New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Houston; Miami; Dallas; Washington, DC; Riverside, CA; San Francisco; and Atlanta.

Source: Urban Institute, Children of Immigrants: 2013 State Trends Update

Immigration What Ifs

Nearly 59 million immigrants moved to the United States between 1965 and 2015, according to a Pew Research Center report. If those immigrants had not come here, the nation would be far less diverse. Pew calculated the racial and ethnic mix of the nation if immigration had been zero during the past fifty years...

• Non-Hispanic Whites would be 75% of population rather than the 62% of 2015 
• Hispanics would be 8% of population rather than the 18% of 2015 
• Asians would be less than 1% of the population rather than the 6% of 2015

During the next 50 years, continuing immigration will reduce the non-Hispanic White share of the population to 46 percent by 2065, projects Pew. The Hispanic share will grow to 24 percent. The Asian share will rise to 14 percent. By 2065, Asians will be a larger share of the population than Blacks (13 percent).

Source: Pew Research Center, Modern Immigration Wave Brings 59 Million to U.S., Driving Population Growth and Change Through 2065

Number of Unauthorized Immigrants Has Declined

Despite all the talk about "illegals" in the United States, their number has declined slightly since the peak year of 2007, according to Pew Research Center. There were an estimated 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2014, down from the peak of 12.2 million in 2007. During the Great Recession and its aftermath, fewer unauthorized immigrants have been crossing our borders.

The 62 percent majority of unauthorized immigrant adults have been in the United States for at least 10 years, according to a 2012 analysis by Pew. More than one in three (38 percent) live with their children born in the United States.

Source: Pew Research Center, Unauthorized Immigrant Population Stable for Half a Decade

Attitudes Toward Undocumented Immigrants

The 59 percent majority of Americans agrees that the United States should take stronger measures to keep undocumented immigrants out of the country. Here are the percentages by generation...

U.S. should take stronger measures to exclude undocumented immigrants (% agreeing)
Millennials: 48%
Generation X: 62%
Baby Boomers: 63%
Older Americans: 75%

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2014 General Social Survey

Naturalized Citizens, 2013

779,929 foreign-born residents of the United States became naturalized citizens in 2013. The annual number of naturalizations has been generally rising over the past few decades, and the 2013 figure ranks fifth in a data series that extends back to the early 20th century.

Asia is the leading region of birth for naturalized citizens (35 percent). Mexico is the leading country of birth (13 percent), followed by India, Philippines, Dominican Republic, and China. The median age of newly naturalized citizens is 40.

Source: Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Naturalizations: 2013

Half of Foreign-Born Proficient in English

Among the 41 million foreign-born living in the United States, nearly half (49.9%) are proficient in English: 15.4 percent speak only English at home, and another 34.5 percent speak a language other than English at home but say they speak English "very well."

Fewer than one-third do not speak English at all (9.6%) or "not well" (19.3%). 

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey, English-Speaking Ability of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2012

Generation Status Varies by Race and Hispanic Origin

Among all Americans, 13 percent were born in another country (defined as first generation). Another 12 percent were born in the United States, but at least one of their parents was born elsewhere (defined as second generation). The 76 percent majority of Americans were born in the United States as were both their parents (defined as third generation or higher). By race and Hispanic origin, the generation status of the population differs considerably…

First generation
Asians: 56%
Blacks: 10%
Hispanics: 36%
Non-Hispanic whites: 4%

Second generation
Asians: 32%
Blacks: 7%
Hispanics: 31%
Non-Hispanic whites: 6%

Third or higher generation
Asians: 12%
Blacks: 83%
Hispanics: 33%
Non-Hispanic whites: 90%

Note: Asians and blacks are those who identify themselves as the race alone or the race in combination with other races. Hispanics may be of any race.
Source: Census Bureau, Race and Hispanic Origin Table Packages: 2012