In the United States, people talk a great deal about immigration. The subject weaves itself into the nation’s fabric. After all, almost every American citizen is a descendant of immigrants somewhere along the line.
In American politics, the topic is a weighty one. Various politicians sometimes manage to build entire platforms surrounding immigration policy. Seemingly every citizen has an opinion about the situation regarding the Southern border.
To better inform you about the immigration situation in America, we’ve compiled some shocking immigration statistics from the most recent data. If immigration is a subject that interests you, then these data points are a must-read!
How Many Immigrants Came to the US in 2020?
As of 2018, the foreign-born population in America hit a record-high 44.8 million people. This figure demonstrated that the number of immigrants residing in the US had more than quadrupled since 1965.
Usually, America has approximately 1 million immigrants arriving at its borders each year. In 2020, this number slowed somewhat. As COVID-19 shut down large swaths of world travel, the number of people flying into the US declined from previous years.
Of those 44.8 million, 77% are in the country legally. As of 2017, about 45% of immigrants had become naturalized citizens. Nearly a quarter of the nation’s immigrant population is here on an unauthorized basis.
Where do all of these immigrants come from, you ask? We’ll cover that in the section below!
Immigration Statistics By Country
As we mentioned above, approximately 1 million immigrants enter the US each year. In 2018, the primary country of origin for new immigrants was China. Immigrant populations from China numbered 149,000, which was followed by 129,000 from India.
Mexico ranked in third place, showing 120,000 immigrants. Another 46,000 arrived from the Philippines. However, these countries do not account for the majority of refugee resettlements.
Since 1980, nearly 3 million refugees have resettled in the US. This number is higher than that of any other country. The majority of these refugees arrive from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with numbers nearing 13,000.
The rest of the refugees usually arrive from Burma, Ukraine, Eritrea, and Afghanistan, respectively. These four nations together provide for 41% of the refugees entering the United States. Of the refugees admitted in 2019, the majority were Christians (23,800), while the remaining 4,900 were Muslims.
Immigration in the United States Today
Currently, almost half of the nation’s immigrant population lives within three states. California leads these three nations, with Texas and Florida in a close competition for second place.
Together, these three states hold 45% of the immigrant population. Although the United States allows several immigrants into the country, its immigration processes are notoriously complex.
Many immigrants struggle to retain their visas, putting them at risk of returning to their home country. If you face similar circumstances, consult an immigration lawyer.
Discover More About Immigration
These immigration statistics give a comprehensive guide to understanding the American immigration position. If these interested you, investigate further to learn more about immigration.
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