Legal Immigration to U.S. Still Declining

The number of people granted legal permanent residence in the United States in fiscal year (FY) 2003 dropped 34 percent to just under 706,000—down significantly from the 1.06 million who became new legal permanent residents a year earlier.

The decline reflects that only half as many persons who were present in the United States adjusted their status as had done so the year before (347,000 in FY 2003 compared to 680,000 in FY 2002). Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials attributed the processing slowdown to new requirements for additional background checks on applicants, as well as the shifting of adjudications staff to the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) special registration program, leaving fewer officials available to process green cards.

This fact sheet offers an overview of U.S. immigration based on FY 2003 data from the DHS Office of Immigration Statistics.