Recent data released by the Associated Press highlights significant changes in immigration trends across the United States, indicating that cities like Salt Lake City, Denver, and Fort Myers, Florida, have become increasingly popular among immigrants, while California’s allure seems to have diminished.
The information, drawn from U.S. Customs and Border Protection data spanning from May 12, 2023, to January 18, 2025, offers insights into the self-reported destinations of nearly 2.5 million people who either crossed the border illegally or entered legally through the CBP One online appointment app.
During this period, the Biden administration lifted COVID-19 restrictions related to asylum applications, a shift that changed the dynamics of immigration patterns.
Notably, the data reveals a long-standing trend of immigrants moving away from California to other states, where job opportunities have flourished, reflecting changing economic conditions in the country.
Additionally, an influx of migrants from over 100 countries has contributed to these shifts, with a noticeable rise in individuals from Venezuela and neighboring South American nations leading to a surge in Florida’s appeal as an immigrant destination.
A closer look at where immigrants have settled shows that Miami has the highest rate of arrivals, with 2,191 immigrants per 100,000 residents.
Fort Myers follows closely with a rate of 1,782, then Salt Lake City at 1,685, Denver at 1,673, and New York at 1,542.
Several other metropolitan areas report high rates of immigrant arrivals, including Orlando, Florida (1,499), Austin, Texas (1,453), Dallas-Fort Worth (1,412), and Houston (1,338).
Interestingly, California, which has historically been a prime destination for immigrants, did not have any metropolitan areas reporting more than 1,000 arrivals per 100,000 residents, although San Jose was close, while Los Angeles was ranked as the 22nd most-favored destination and San Francisco ranked 24th.
Florida stands out with four areas in the top 20 for immigration, showcasing a significant shift in demographic and economic attraction in the state.
By total numbers, New York continues to lead as the largest metropolitan area for immigrant arrivals with a total of 300,650 newcomers, more than double any other area in the country, followed by Miami, Dallas, and Houston, each of which welcomed over 100,000 newcomers.
When assessing states by per-capita numbers, Florida ranked highest with 1,271 immigrant arrivals per 100,000 residents, followed by New York with 1,216 and Texas at 1,104.
Additional states with at least 1,000 arrivals per 100,000 residents include Colorado (1,063), New Jersey (1,029), and Utah (1,015).
In contrast, California ranked 13th overall with just 644 arrivals per 100,000 residents, falling behind states such as Georgia, Tennessee, Nevada, and Connecticut.
Looking at the total number of arrivals, Texas took the lead with 336,620 immigrants, followed by Florida with 287,340 and California with 251,130.
New York was not far behind with 238,010 new arrivals, while Illinois recorded 106,300; all other states reported fewer than 100,000 arrivals.
The data reflects a clear increase in the number of migrants released at the border, a trend observed under both the Obama and Trump administrations but which reached unprecedented levels under the Biden administration.
Over 900,000 individuals entered through the CBP One app between its introduction in January 2023 and the shutdown in January 2025, highlighting the fluctuations in policy and enforcement across different presidential terms.
However, after imposing significant asylum restrictions in June 2024, the Biden administration saw a decline in illegal crossings and releases, a trend that deepened under President Donald Trump when only seven individuals were released since February.
image source from：cpr
