US Immigration Statistics Fast Facts

CNN Editorial Research

Here’s a look at immigration to the United States.

Legal Immigration Statistics

2020 – 707,362 people are granted lawful permanent residence in the United States. The top countries of origin of these “green card” recipients, or LPRs:

— Mexico = 96,900

— India = 44,367

— China = 39,642

— Dominican Republic = 29,723

— Vietnam = 29,334

2020 – The top US states where legal permanent residents live are:

— California = 138,996

— New York = 81,755

— Texas = 74,565

— Florida = 65,799

— New Jersey = 30,275

2020 – A total of 628,254 people become naturalized US citizens.

Residents becoming naturalized citizens in 2021 had spent a median of 7.3 years in lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. Immigrants born in Nigeria had the shortest wait time, six years, while those from Mexico had the longest wait time, 10.7 years.

Undocumented Immigration Statistics

2018 – The Department of Homeland Security estimates that there were 11.4 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2018. The top countries of origin are:

— Mexico = 5.4 million

— El Salvador = 730,000

— Guatemala = 620,000

— India = 540,000

— Honduras = 450,000

— China = 410,000

2018 – The top US states where unauthorized immigrants settle are:

— California

— Texas

— Florida

— New York

— New Jersey

2020 – 518,597 unauthorized immigrants are apprehended.

2020 – 239,151 unauthorized immigrants are removed.

2020 – 167,327 unauthorized immigrants return without an order of removal.

Unaccompanied Children

Unaccompanied children (UC) are referred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, for care while their immigration cases are adjudicated:

— FY2021 – 122,731

— FY2020 – 15,381

— FY2019 – 69,488

— FY2018 – 49,100

— FY2017 – 40,810

— FY2016 – 59,170

— FY2015 – 33,726

The top countries of origin for UC (FY2021)

— Guatemala (47%)

— Honduras (32%)

— El Salvador (13%)

— Mexico (1%)

About 66% of UC are boys.

About 39% of UC are between 15 and 16 years old.

The average length of stay in shelter care was 37 days.

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