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E.g., 04/23/2024
Immigrant Profiles & Demographics

Immigrant Profiles & Demographics

International Data
U.S. Data
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In an era when publics are seeking to understand how immigration is reshaping populations and local communities, and the effect that newcomers are having on economic, educational, and labor systems, it is imperative to have access to credible and authoritative data. The U.S. and international data-rich research offered here, and data resources offered through our Data Hub, empower users to learn more about the role of immigration in today's world. Browse by region, by type of research, and more. And visit MPI's Data Hub for data tools, maps, and more.

Recent Activity

A woman stands onboard the U.S. Navy vessel on which she was born.
Articles
October 15, 2021
Vietnamese Immigrants in the United States
By Laura Harjanto and Jeanne Batalova
A woman and her child in southern Ethiopia.
Articles
October 5, 2021
Once Primarily an Origin for Refugees, Ethiopia Experiences Evolving Migration Patterns
By Girmachew Adugna
Niños nicaragüenses en la escuela sosteniendo la bandera de su país.
Articles
September 16, 2021
Inmigrantes centroamericanos en los Estados Unidos
By Erin Babich and Jeanne Batalova
An Afghan refugee in the United States.
Articles
September 9, 2021
Afghan Immigrants in the United States
By Jeanne Batalova
La gente lleva la bandera de la República Dominicana en un desfile en Washington, DC.
Articles
August 24, 2021
Inmigrantes de la República Dominicana a los Estados Unidos
By Erin Babich and Jeanne Batalova
Refugees prepare to be resettled in the United Kingdom.
Articles
August 19, 2021
United Kingdom’s Decades-Long Immigration Shift Interrupted by Brexit and the Pandemic
By Will Somerville and Peter William Walsh
Articles
August 11, 2021
Central American Immigrants in the United States
By Erin Babich and Jeanne Batalova
Cover image for Integración socioeconómica de los migrantes y refugiados venezolanos
Reports
July 2021
Integración socioeconómica de los migrantes y refugiados venezolanos: Los casos de Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú
By  Diego Chaves-González, Jordi Amaral and María Jesús Mora

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Fact Sheets
April 2016
Immigrants and WIOA Services: Comparison of Sociodemographic Characteristics of Native- and Foreign-Born Adults in the United States
By  Margie McHugh and Madeleine Morawski
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Reports
March 2016
Young Children of Refugees in the United States: Integration Successes and Challenges
By  Kate Hooper, Jie Zong, Randy Capps and Michael Fix
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Reports
February 2016
Deferred Action for Unauthorized Immigrant Parents: Analysis of DAPA's Potential Effects on Families and Children
By  Randy Capps, Heather Koball, James D. Bachmeier, Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Jie Zong and Julia Gelatt
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Fact Sheets
January 2016
A Profile of U.S. Children with Unauthorized Immigrant Parents
By  Randy Capps, Michael Fix and Jie Zong
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Fact Sheets
November 2015
Profile of Syrian Immigrants in the United States
By  Jie Zong
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Reports
September 2015
Migrants Deported from the United States and Mexico to the Northern Triangle: A Statistical and Socioeconomic Profile
By  Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas and Victoria Rietig
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Reports
August 2015
An Analysis of Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States by Country and Region of Birth
By  Marc R. Rosenblum and Ariel G. Ruiz Soto
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Policy Briefs
August 2015
DACA at the Three-Year Mark: High Pace of Renewals, But Processing Difficulties Evident
By  Angelo Mathay and Margie McHugh

Pages

Image of man on steps in front of China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, China
Profile
January 28, 2022
China’s Rapid Development Has Transformed Its Migration Trends

China has a long history of international migration. Movement was sharply interrupted following the 1949 revolution but has rebounded in recent decades. Since 1979, the country has developed from one of mostly limited migration into one that is in many ways defined through its global interactions, although it continues to treat migration warily, as this country profile explains.

Mother and daughter from Middle Eastern background
Spotlight
January 13, 2022
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States

Migration from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to the United States doubled between 2000 and 2019, yet these immigrants represented less than 3 percent of the overall U.S. foreign-born population as of 2019. MENA immigrants are more likely than other immigrants to be English proficient, have a college degree, and work in management, business, science, and arts occupations.

A Dutch family at Ellis Island between 1915 and 1920.
Profile
January 6, 2022
Immigration Has Been a Defining, Often Contentious, Element Throughout U.S. History

As host to more immigrants than any other country, the United States has been shaped and reshaped by immigration over the centuries, with the issue at times becoming a flashpoint. This article covers the history of U.S. immigration and the major laws governing immigration, and provides a comprehensive overview of the present-day immigrant population.

Two boys pose in an informal settlement east of Johannesburg largely populated by immigrants.
Profile
November 18, 2021
South Africa Reckons with Its Status as a Top Immigration Destination, Apartheid History, and Economic Challenges

South Africa hosts the most immigrants of any African country. Yet it faces conflicting pressures, including the legacy of apartheid, a steady outflow of well-educated South Africans, and the need to juggle bilateral labor mobility schemes at a time of economic insecurity and high unemployment. This article traces these pressures and how they have developed over time.

New U.S. citizens take an oath during a naturalization ceremony.
Spotlight
November 10, 2021
Naturalized Citizens in the United States

More than half of all immigrants in the United States are naturalized citizens. The number of new naturalizations has fluctuated from year to year, hitting a decade-long low in fiscal year 2020, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising processing times. This article provides information on naturalized citizens in the United States, including historical trends and socioeconomic characteristics.

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Recent Activity

Reports
February 2015

Through an Immigrant Lens: PIAAC Assessment of the Competencies of Adults in the United States

Immigrant adults in the United States lag their native-born peers in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, with resulting effects on their income, employment, education, and health, according to MPI analysis of U.S. scores on the 2012 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The findings, which reveal wide ethnic and racial gaps in scoring, underscore deep U.S. social inequalities.
Articles
January 28, 2015

Chinese Immigrants in the United States

With the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943 and normalization of U.S.-China relations in the late 1970s, Chinese immigration to the United States has steadily increased, to a population of more than 2 million. Using the latest data, this Spotlight highlights characteristics of Chinese immigrants from mainland China and Hong Kong, including their top state and metro areas of residence, immigration pathways, educational attainment, and more.

Articles
December 3, 2014

Korean Immigrants in the United States

Migration to the United States from the Korean peninsula, largely from South Korea, owes its roots to political, military, and economic factors, with an estimated 1.1 million Korean immigrants in the United States as of 2013. Korean migration to the United States has stalled in recent years, and even declined, with a small but growing number of immigrants and their U.S.-born children returning to Korea, as this article explores.

Articles
November 24, 2014

Ecuador: From Mass Emigration to Return Migration?

This country profile analyzes Ecuador's migration trends and examines how remittances and return migration have become an important policy focus for a country with an estimated 1.5 million to 2 million nationals living abroad, chiefly in the United States, Spain, and Italy. As waves of emigration occurred, the country also has experienced significant inflows of refugees and economic and lifestyle migrants.

Articles
October 30, 2014

Sub-Saharan African Immigrants in the United States

From 1980 to 2013, the sub-Saharan African immigrant population in the United States increased from 130,000 to 1.5 million, roughly doubling each decade between 1980 and 2010. This profile provides up-to-date demographic information for sub-Saharan immigrants including location, educational attainment, workforce participation, and much more.

Reports
October 2014

Deportation and Discretion: Reviewing the Record and Options for Change

Even as deportation of criminals has risen steadily, immigration crimes are the largest category of criminal removals, representing 18 percent of the 1.5 million criminal removals that occurred between fiscal 2003-13. This report analyzes the 3.7 million formal removals that occurred during the period, offering a profile of deportees and changing trends. It also outlines how possible scenarios for executive action could affect the number of deportations.
Articles
October 9, 2014

Mexican Immigrants in the United States

In 2013, 11.6 million Mexican immigrants resided in the United States, accounting for 28 percent of the total foreign-born population, making Mexicans the largest immigrant group in the country. Using the latest data, this Spotlight examines the Mexican immigrant population by size, location, language ability, workforce participation, and more.

Reports
September 2014

Diploma, Please: Promoting Educational Attainment for DACA- and Potential DREAM Act-Eligible Youth

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is unprecedented in the scope of its educational requirements. This report provides sociodemographic snapshots of three key DACA groups, explores the challenges to their educational success, and offers recommendations for educators and other stakeholders looking to support the educational attainment of these young unauthorized immigrants.

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