Some Facts About Immigrants in the U.S.
How many people in the U.S. are immigrants or refugees?
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As of the end of 2024, the United States had approximately 53.5 million foreign-born residents, accounting for 15.8% of the total U.S. population. By comparison, immigrants accounted for 14.8% of the population in 1890. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau) In the fiscal year 2024, the U.S. admitted 100,034 refugees, marking the highest level of refugee resettlement since 1995. It's important to note that in January 2025, the U.S. refugee admissions program was suspended under Executive Order 14155, effectively halting new refugee admissions. (Source: Global Refuge)​
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Where are most immigrants in the U.S. from originally?
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As of 2023, U.S. residents born in Mexico represented our largest immigrant group, although this population declined since 2010. Mexican immigrants made up 23 percent of the U.S. immigrant population in 2023, down from 29 percent in 2010. India and China (including Hong Kong and Macao but not Taiwan) were the next largest origin countries, accounting for approximately 2.9 million and 2.4 million immigrants, respectively, or 6 percent and 5 percent of all immigrants. Other top countries of origin included the Philippines (4 percent); El Salvador, Cuba, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala (about 3 percent apiece); and Colombia (2 percent). Together, these ten countries accounted for 55 percent of all U.S. immigrants in 2023. (Source: Migration Policy Institute)
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​Can most immigrants in the U.S. speak English?
​​70% of foreign-born residents speak English “very well” or "well". (Source: U.S. Census American Community Survey)
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How many immigrants are in the U.S. civilian labor force?
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In 2024, the foreign born accounted for 19.2 percent of the U.S. civilian labor force, up from 18.6 percent in 2023. Foreign-born workers were more likely than native-born workers to be employed in service occupations; natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations; and production, transportation, and material moving occupations. Foreign-born workers were less likely than native-born workers to be employed in management, professional, and relatedoccupations and in sales and office occupations. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)​ As of April 2025, approximately 33 million foreign-born individuals were part of the U.S. civilian labor force, accounting for about 19.3% of the total workforce. (Source: FRED)
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How many immigrants in the U.S. are working without legal authorization?​
The number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. workforce grew from 7.4 million in 2019 to 8.3 million in 2022. The 2022 number equals previous highs in 2008 and 2011. Unauthorized immigrants represent about 4.8% of the U.S. workforce in 2022. This was below the peak of 5.4% in 2007. Since 2003, unauthorized immigrants have made up 4.4% to 5.4% of all U.S. workers, a relatively narrow range. The share of the 2022 U.S. workforce made up by unauthorized immigrants is higher than their 3.3% share of the total U.S. population in 2022. That’s because the unauthorized immigrant population includes relatively few children or elderly adults, groups that tend not to be in the labor force.
(Source: Pew Research Center)
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Common Myths about U.S. Immigrants
Myth: Most immigrants are here illegally​​
Fact: As of 2024, about 71% of immigrants are in the U.S. legally—either as naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents, or on temporary visas.
(Source: Pew Research Center)
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Myth: Immigrants are a drain on the economy
​​Fact: Immigrants contribute positively to the economy, paying more in taxes over their lifetimes than they use in public services.
(Source: National Academies of Sciences Report)
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Myth: Immigrants take jobs from Americans
Fact: The reality is that the labor market is absorbing immigrants at a rapid pace, while simultaneously maintaining record-low unemployment for U.S.-born workers.
(Source: Economic Policy Institute)
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Myth: Immigrants are uneducated
Fact: Many immigrants are highly educated, and a significant portion of STEM graduates and researchers in the U.S. are foreign-born.
(Source: American Immigration Council)
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Myth: Immigrants overuse public benefits
Fact: Immigrants were 14.3 percent of the US population and consumed just 11.9 percent of all means-tested welfare and entitlement benefits in 2022. Noncitizen immigrants—including those lawfully present in the United States on various temporary visas, lawful permanent residents, and illegal immigrants—consumed 54 percent less welfare than native-born Americans. Noncitizens were 7.3 percent of the population and consumed just 3.5 percent of all welfare.
(Source: Cato Institute)
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Myth: Immigrants increase crime rates
Fact: Much of the available data focuses on incarceration rates because that's where immigration status is recorded. At Stanford University, economist Ran Abramitzky found that since the 1960s, immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than U.S.-born people. There is also state level research that shows similar results: researchers at the CATO Institute, a libertarian think tank, looked into Texas in 2019. They found that undocumented immigrants were 37.1% less likely to be convicted of a crime. Investigations by The New York Times and The Marshall Project found that between 2007 and 2016, there was no link between undocumented immigrants and a rise in violent or property crime in those communities.
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Myth: Most undocumented immigrants cross the southern border
Fact: Most undocumented immigrants did not cross the southern border illegally. They entered legally and overstayed.
(Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Myth: Immigrants don’t want to learn English
Fact: Most immigrants want to learn English, and fluency increases sharply by the second generation. About half of immigrants ages 5 and older (54%) are proficient English speakers – they either speak English very well (37%) or speak only English at home (17%).
(Source: Pew Research Center)
Myth: Immigrants can vote in U.S. elections
Fact: Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal and nearly all state elections.
In the United States, only U.S. citizens are permitted to vote in federal elections, including those for President, Vice President, and members of Congress. This restriction applies to both native-born and naturalized citizens. Non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents (green card holders) and undocumented immigrants, are prohibited from voting in federal elections. At the state level, non-citizens are also barred from voting in statewide elections. However, some municipalities allow non-citizens to vote in certain local elections. It’s important to note that instances of non-citizens voting in U.S. elections are exceedingly rare. Studies have consistently found that such occurrences are minimal and have not impacted election outcomes.
(Source: US.gov/whocanvote)