Veera Korhonen
Research expert covering United States data for society
U.S. immigration/migration - statistics & facts
Immigration is the act of non-native people moving to a country in order to permanently settle there. Motives for immigration are varied and often divided into two main categories: push factors are those factors that drive people away from their home country, such as persecution, poverty, and oppression; pull factors are those that pull people towards their target country, such as family reunification, better education, or employment opportunities.
Despite the United States weaving the features of hard working immigrants escaping oppression in Europe into the fabric of their national identity, immigration is a divisive political issue. Although 68 percent of Americans thought that immigration was a good thing for the United States as of 2023, this number has decreased over the last few years. Moreover, a 2023 survey found that Americans were more likely to say that they are dissatisfied with the level of immigration into the U.S., with the majority agreeing that immigration into the U.S. should be decreased in the future. At the center of this public debate is illegal immigration. Although the amount of illegal immigrants apprehended fell during the pandemic year of 2020, border apprehensions in 2021 and 2022 hit all-time highs in the United States, with around 1.87 million illegal aliens apprehended by U.S. officials in 2021. Due to the economic disparities between Mexico and the United States, as well as the shared border, illegal immigration from Mexico accounts for the highest amount of illegal immigration into the United States.
The acceptance of refugees has been a tense topic in the U.S. for as long as it's been an issue. However, recent conflicts in Europe have presented a potential change in the hearts of Americans. According to a survey conducted in 2022, the majority of Americans were found to believe that Ukrainian refugees should be accepted in the U.S. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, the U.S. has welcomed over 2,000 Ukrainian refugees and committed itself to welcoming even more, which may further represent a change in past opinion and a new hope for those fleeing violence. However, around one third of Americans were still in opposition of 'admitting thousands of Ukrainian refugees', making it uncertain whether support for refugees will continue in the future.
Immigration and politics
The United States has a long history with immigration, with the vast majority of the current population coming from some form of immigrant background – that being all Americans other than those who are American Indian or Alaska Native. The economic strength of the United States, alongside the mammoth degree of soft power possessed by the country, means that demand for so-called ‘green cards’ (permanent residence visas) is high. Since 2007, the United States has approved around one million green cards per year, although this number fell slightly in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The greatest number of permanent residency approvals in 2021 were for persons residing in California.Despite the United States weaving the features of hard working immigrants escaping oppression in Europe into the fabric of their national identity, immigration is a divisive political issue. Although 68 percent of Americans thought that immigration was a good thing for the United States as of 2023, this number has decreased over the last few years. Moreover, a 2023 survey found that Americans were more likely to say that they are dissatisfied with the level of immigration into the U.S., with the majority agreeing that immigration into the U.S. should be decreased in the future. At the center of this public debate is illegal immigration. Although the amount of illegal immigrants apprehended fell during the pandemic year of 2020, border apprehensions in 2021 and 2022 hit all-time highs in the United States, with around 1.87 million illegal aliens apprehended by U.S. officials in 2021. Due to the economic disparities between Mexico and the United States, as well as the shared border, illegal immigration from Mexico accounts for the highest amount of illegal immigration into the United States.
Refugees in the United States
Illegal immigration is not the only immigration source to have been brought into the political discourse in recent years. The refugee policies of the United States have also been questioned by both members of the public and political leaders. Despite the intense degree of vetting required to successfully obtain refugee status in the U.S., there is still a large amount of refugees, people who have been forced to leave their country due to dangerous circumstances, entering the United States on a regular basis. During the fiscal year of 2022, there were almost 8,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo alone.The acceptance of refugees has been a tense topic in the U.S. for as long as it's been an issue. However, recent conflicts in Europe have presented a potential change in the hearts of Americans. According to a survey conducted in 2022, the majority of Americans were found to believe that Ukrainian refugees should be accepted in the U.S. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, the U.S. has welcomed over 2,000 Ukrainian refugees and committed itself to welcoming even more, which may further represent a change in past opinion and a new hope for those fleeing violence. However, around one third of Americans were still in opposition of 'admitting thousands of Ukrainian refugees', making it uncertain whether support for refugees will continue in the future.
