E.g., 04/23/2024
E.g., 04/23/2024
U.S. Data

U.S. Data

U.S. Immigrant Population Spotlights

More than 43 million people living in the United States—whether as naturalized citizen, legal permanent resident, temporary resident, or unauthorized immigrant—were born in another country, representing 13 percent of the U.S. population. Immigration has ebbed and flowed throughout U.S. history, peaking at nearly 15 percent of the population in 1890 and plummeting to 5 percent in 1970. The data-rich research offered here traces the U.S. immigrant population by size, educational and workforce characteristics, English language proficiency, and more.

For information on U.S. immigrants by state, check out the State Immigration Data Profiles tool. And for detailed profiles on unauthorized immigrants nationally and by state, visit this tool.

Recent Activity

Articles
January 1, 2004
The Foreign Born from China in the United States in 2000
By Elizabeth Grieco
Articles
December 1, 2003
The Foreign Born from India in the United States in 2000
By Elizabeth Grieco
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Fact Sheets
November 2003
U.S.-Canada-Mexico Fact Sheet on Trade and Migration
By  Deborah W. Meyers and Maia Jachimowicz
Articles
November 1, 2003
The Foreign Born from the Philippines in the United States in 2000
By Elizabeth Grieco
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Fact Sheets
October 2003
Unauthorized Immigration to the United States
By  Elizabeth Grieco
Articles
October 1, 2003
The Foreign Born from Mexico in the United States in 2000
By Elizabeth Grieco
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Fact Sheets
September 2003
Immigration Since September 11, 2001
By  Elizabeth Grieco, Deborah W. Meyers and Kathleen Newland
Articles
August 1, 2003
African-born Residents of the United States in 2000
By Jill Wilson

Pages

Spotlight
December 1, 2002
Characteristics of the Foreign Born in the United States: Results from Census 2000
This Spotlight by Elizabeth Grieco, MPI Data Manager, examines some of the demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the foreign-born population in the United States.
Spotlight
November 1, 2002
Temporary High-Skilled Migration
Globalization has made the international mobility of high-skilled workers a vital issue for the United States. MPI's Maia Jachimowicz and Policy Analyst Deborah W. Meyers explain the complicated visa system for high-skilled temporary workers.
Spotlight
October 1, 2002
Settlement Patterns of the Foreign Born in the United States: Results from Census 2000
Although the foreign born remain concentrated in certain states, many immigrants are moving into "non-traditional" areas. Elizabeth Grieco, MPI Data Manager, has prepared a spotlight on their settlement patterns.
Spotlight
August 1, 2002
Immigrants and Welfare Use

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 dramatically reformed the nation's welfare system. MPI's Amanda Levinson takes a closer look at how these changes affected immigrants.

Image of data graph chart.
July 1, 2002
Defining 'Foreign Born' and 'Foreigner' in International Migration Statistics

The concepts of 'foreign born' and 'foreigner' initially appear identical. However, in an international context, they are used to categorize people in fundamentally different ways. Elizabeth Grieco, MPI Data Manager, explains how these concepts can reflect alternative views of citizenship and discusses what this means for data comparability.

Pages

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Recent Activity

Fact Sheets
January 2004

What Kind of Work Do Immigrants Do? Occupation and Industry of Foreign-Born Workers in the United States

This report examines the characteristics of foreign-born workers in the United States based on the 2002 Current Population Survey. Findings relate to foreign-born workers age 16 and over participating in the civilian labor force.

Articles
December 1, 2003

The Foreign Born from India in the United States in 2000

MPI Data Manager Elizabeth Grieco provides an overview of the third-largest immigrant group in the United States.

Articles
November 1, 2003

The Foreign Born from the Philippines in the United States in 2000

MPI Data Manager Elizabeth Grieco provides an overview of the second-largest immigrant group in the United States.

Fact Sheets
November 2003

U.S.-Canada-Mexico Fact Sheet on Trade and Migration

Canada and Mexico’s importance to the United States is more than simply a border-state phenomenon. The trading relationship between United States and Canada represents the largest bilateral flow of income, goods, and services in the world. Meanwhile, Mexico is the United States’ second largest trading partner.

Articles
October 1, 2003

The Foreign Born from Mexico in the United States in 2000

MPI Data Manager Elizabeth Grieco provides an overview of the largest immigrant group in the United States.

Fact Sheets
October 2003

Unauthorized Immigration to the United States

This fact sheet provides an estimate and brief description of the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States in 2003.

Fact Sheets
September 2003

Immigration Since September 11, 2001

In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, changes to visa policies, new security procedures, and measures to combat fraud contributed to a shift in the traditional composition of immigration flows. This report highlights recent data on immigrants to the U.S. and offers key analysis of what these figures mean in terms of U.S. policy.

Articles
August 1, 2003

African-born Residents of the United States in 2000

MPI’s Jill Wilson provides an in-depth look at the United States’ population of people born in Africa.

Pages