Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States

Jeanne Batalova, MPI, Mar. 13, 2024

"This Spotlight offers information about the approximately 46.2 million immigrants in the United States as of 2022, more than three-quarters of whom are in the country legally. Drawing from the most authoritative and current data available, this article offers an overview of historic immigration trends in the United States, sociodemographic information about who is immigrating, and the channels through which they arrive. It also provides data on the government’s enforcement actions and visa processing. This article draws on statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau (using its 2022 American Community Survey [ACS], 2023 Current Population Survey [CPS], and 2000 decennial census); the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State; and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI). (Note: DHS and State Department data refer to fiscal years that begin on October 1 and end on September 30; Census Bureau data refer to calendar years). For more detailed information on U.S. and global immigration data sources and one-click access to these datasets, see the MPI report Immigration Data Matters. All the data tools and maps linked to in this article can be accessed through MPI’s Migration Data Hub."