In 2022, there were 46,118,600 immigrant residents in the United States or 13.8% of the US population according to the American Immigration Council. Of these, 9,940,700 were undocumented or illegal, making up 21.6% of all immigrants or 3% of the total US population.
The 1850 United States census was the first federal U.S. census to query respondents about their "nativity"—i.e, where they were born, whether in the United States or outside of it—and is thus the first point at which solid census statistics become available. The following chart, based on statistics from the U.S. census from 1850 on,The statistics through 1990 are taken from Table 4, "Region and Country or Area of Birth of the Foreign-Born Population, With Geographic Detail Shown in Decennial Census Publications of 1930 or Earlier: 1850 to 1930 and 1960 to 1990", in: Gibson, Campbell J.; Lennon, Emily (February 1999). "Historical Census Statistics on the Foreign-born Population of the United States: 1850-1990". Population Division, US Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC. Retrieved 2017-06-11. shows the numbers of non-native residents according to place of birth. Because an immigrant is counted in each census during his or her lifetime, the numbers reflect the cumulative population of living non-native residents.
This census-based approach to measuring historical U.S. immigration statistics produces only a rough approximation because census surveys are conducted only every ten years, yielding only decadal estimates of migration (immigration to the country minus emigration from it: as proxied by net changes in the stock of foreign-born residents). The chart (above and to the right here), "Immigration to the United States by region (millions)," is a somewhat more accurate depiction, although it too measures only ten year blocks (think of it as a bar graph rather than the line graph displayed), and, as pointed out in the "More Details" to it, the levels shown are valid only through 2010. Actual year by year immigrant arrivals data (with some — not always consistent over time — adjustment correcting for visitors who do not remain permanently), provide more fine-grained measurement, and are available starting as of 1820.Manifests of arriving passengers were first legally required at U.S. ports of entry in 1819, under the Steerage Act of 1819. The resulting year by year immigrant arrival statistics now show in the official U.S. federal Immigration Statistics Yearbook tables. See, for instance, However, those data, which were categorized by U.S. immigration authorities as "Immigrants" until about 2000, but since then as "Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status" (yet still labeled "Immigrants" even for years after 2000, in the chart above right), also have inconsistencies over time, most notably because the numbers tabulated reflect actual written recording of (most) non-U.S. citizens arriving before 1933, but -from then on- bestowal of permanent residencies ("green cards"). This is explained in the , edited by Carter et al. (2006), pages 1-538 to 1-540, which also points out -as Nancy Rytina ["IRCA Legalization Effects: Lawful Permanent Residence and Naturalization through 2001," Office of Policy and Planning Statistics Division, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, paper presented on October 25, 2002)] further elaborates- that most of the seemingly record high 1990 and 1991 totals for "permanent resident status" (in the thus-titled table on this Wikipedia page) actually reflects "legalizations," under the 1986 "Amnesty" program ("IRCA"), of persons who mostly moved to America in the 1970s and early '80s. See also
Statistics by year Data since 2023 has been rounded to the nearest tenth.
Naturalization This table lists the number of naturalizations, petitions along with the number accepted or denied from the 2024 to 2000 fiscal years. Source: Year Accepted Denied Applications2024818,57086,410994,1302023878,460100,490827,610 2022 969,380 111,637 781,075 2021 813,861 85,170 789,119 2020 628,254 80,609 967,755 2019 843,593 97,789 830,560 2018 761,901 92,631 837,168 2017 707,265 83,176 986,851 2016 753,060 86,033 972,151 2015 730,259 75,810 783,062 2014 653,416 66,767 773,824 2013 779,929 83,112 772,623 2012 757,434 65,874 899,162 2011 694,193 57,065 756,008 2010 619,913 56,994 710,544 2009 743,715 109,832 570,442 2008 1,046,539 121,283 525,786 2007 660,477 89,683 1,382,993 2006 702,589 120,722 730,642 2005 604,280 108,247 602,972 2004 537,151 103,339 662,796 2003 462,435 91,599 523,370 2002 572,646 139,779 700,649 2001 606,259 218,326 501,643 2000 886,026 399,670 460,916
Persons getting permanent resident status This table gives the number of people who got permanent resident status in the United States by fiscal year from 1980 to 2023. Includes those who are "lawful permanent residents" only in this table. Source: Year Total # 2024 1,364,090 2023 1,172,910 2022 1,018,349 2021 740,002 2020 707,362 2019 1,031,765 2018 1,096,611 2017 1,127,167 2016 1,183,505 2015 1,051,031 2014 1,016,518 2013 990,553 2012 1,031,631 2011 1,062,040 2010 1,042,625 2009 1,130,818 2008 1,107,126 2007 1,052,415 2006 1,266,129 2005 1,122,257 2004 957,883 2003 703,542 2002 1,059,356 2001 1,058,902 2000 841,002 1999 644,787 1998 653,206 1997 797,847 1996 915,560 1995 720,177 1994 803,993 1993 903,916 1992 973,445 1991 1,826,595 1990 1,535,872 1989 1,090,172 1988 641,346 1987 599,889 1986 600,027 1985 568,149 1984 541,811 1983 550,052 1982 533,624 1981 595,014 1980 524,295
Naturalizations by class of admission by year This table lists the number of naturalizations by the major admission class they admitted to the US in by fiscal year. Between 2013 and 2022 none gained admission and became a lawful permanent resident who were children and born abroad. Source: Year202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013Major Admission classImmediate relatives of U.S. citizens672,240551,590428,268385,396321,148505,765478,961516,508566,706465,068416,456439,460Employment-based preferences171,120196,760270,284193,338148,959139,458138,171137,855137,893144,047151,596161,110Family-sponsored preferences188,190204,240166,04165,690121,560204,139216,563232,238238,087213,910229,104210,303Asylees41,65040,33053,65920,55019,47126,00330,17525,64737,20933,56438,17642,235Refugees178,20059,03029,42335,84744,40480,908155,734120,356120,216118,43196,06677,395Victims of crimes and their immediate relatives12,99019,7209,8719,21611,88818,32614,90917,99316,14814,11211,6653,712Cancellation of removal4,3304,9004,1605,0173,6854,0334,4213,5393,4534,7135,2485,763Diversity49,89067,35043,23015,15025,03043,46045,35051,59049,87047,930Certain Iraqis and Afghans employed by U.S. Government and their spouses and children43,26026,43011,9108,3009,7308,08010,30019,19012,1507,050Victims of human trafficking5708007129428668181,2081,3171,0699701,149608Parolees1010141313161426152395556Other9501,140607429534579636758565782956911Total1,364,0901,172,9101,018,349740,002707,3621,031,7651,096,6111,127,1671,183,5051,051,0311,016,518990,553
Refugees
Arrivals by year This table lists the number of refugee arrivals by each fiscal year along with the ceiling. Since the United States created a refugee resettlement program in 1980, there has been a ceiling on the number allowed. The Immigration and Nationality Act gives the president the authority to set the ceiling. The year with the lowest ceiling was in 2021. The years where the number of refugees admitted surpassed the ceiling was in: 1992 and 2017. Note that data from the 2024 fiscal year has been rounded. YearNumber of arrivals2024100,060 202360,050 202225,519 202111,454202011,840201929,916201822,405201753,691201684,989201569,920201469,975201369,909201258,179201156,384201073,293200974,602200860,107200748,218200641,094200553,738200452,840200328,286200226,785 200168,920200072,165199985,285199876,712199769,653199675,421199598,9731994111,6801993114,1811992115,5481991113,3891990122,0661989107,070198876,483 198764,528198662,146198567,704 198470,393198361,218198298,0961981159,2521980207,116
Asylum seekers This table shows the number of people who were granted asylum whether it be defensively or affirmatively by fiscal year starting in 1990. Please note that data from the source for 2023 is rounded to the nearest tenth. Table source: YearGranted defensive statusGranted affirmative statusTotal202332,05022,30054,350202222,48114,13436,61520217,4169,21216,628202014,60416,13230,736201918,91226,89345,805201813,19824,50437,702201710,56515,81726,38220168,69511,61620,31120158,13917,80725,94620139,74514,88624,631201210,57516,87127,446201110,13813,49323,63120108,51911,25819,777200910,30012,00322,303200810,89212,13023,022200712,85912,45925,318200613,30413,04826,352200511,75713,54725,304200413,02214,35427,376200313,37615,36728,743200210,97725,96036,937200110,00129,14739,14820009,23623,27832,51419998,42118,15026,57119987,29113,21620,50719976,55916,38022,93919964,90818,62423,53219953,13017,57320,70319942,05311,77513,82819932,0347,5099,54319922,1844,1236,30719912,1272,9085,03519902,8005,6728,472
Asylum court statistics
Asylum court decisions by fiscal year This table displays the number of Asylum court decisions by fiscal year along with the decision made. This is regardless of which immigration court or other information pertaining to the case. Table source: YearDecisionTotal decisionsDeniedGrantedOther relief202560,43822,1811,21383,832202439,94235,3002,53177,773202335,98836,0392,74074,767202227,53225,8292,12155,482202115,1669,9651,46226,593202042,59517,5132,38562,493201920,87146,7751,42569,051201814,24827,46359842,309201711,99510,89334530,288201612,1849,72442022,32820159,2159,04234518,60220149,7179,69038014,91820139,43711,05545920,95120129,04811,96552921,54220119,95911,49561122,06520109,0529,87653219,460200910,71810,26861821,604200812,71710,88546924,071200714,39712,85648727,740200615,95713,30252629,785200518,53711,71149930,747200420,25713,02562033,902200321,86813,37953635,783200217,96910,97941129,359200114,63310,00739925,039
Backlog of asylum court cases by fiscal year This table shows the backlog or pending cases by fiscal year pertaining to asylum cases. This shows all asylum cases. Data from the source goes back to 2012. Table source: YearBacklog (# of cases)20241,101,81920231,009,6252022756,6902021667,2292020614,7512019489,0032018364,9902017259,8712016163,4512015136,1452014114,6032013108,3982012105,919
Sources of immigration
Foreign born by decade