In January 2025, the United States recorded its largest immigrant population, totaling 53.3 million foreign-born residents. However, by June of the same year, this number plummeted, indicating a significant change in the immigration landscape. For the first time since the 1960s, there was a contraction in the nation’s foreign-born populace, with over a million immigrants having either left the country or faced deportation.
This decline left the U.S. with an estimated immigrant population of 51.9 million by June 2025. The percentage of immigrants among all U.S. residents dropped to 15.4%, down from a recent high of 15.8%. Within the labor force, immigrants now comprise 19%, a decrease from 20% and a notable loss of over 750,000 workers since the beginning of the year.
The changes in immigration statistics can be traced back to various policy shifts that began in mid-2024. In June 2024, President Joe Biden initiated new restrictions on asylum applications, which sharply reduced encounters at the border with immigrants seeking asylum. This enforcement was further intensified by a flurry of executive actions taken by President Donald Trump in his first 100 days upon returning to the White House in January 2025. With a total of 181 executive actions aimed at curtailing the arrival of new immigrants and deporting noncitizen immigrants, the cumulative effect of these policies has contributed to the noticeable decline in the immigrant population, particularly among those without authorization.
According to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center, which utilized Census Bureau data, these immigration changes have led to significant shifts in demographic dynamics.
As of June 2025, 51.9 million immigrants were residing in the U.S., constituting 15.4% of the population. This figure was down from the January peak, marking the first decline in over five decades. The decline may also reflect technical factors, such as a drop in response rates in surveys among immigrants.
The U.S. continues to be home to more immigrants than any other country worldwide. As of 2024, the second-largest immigrant population was in Germany, with around 17 million. While the U.S. hosts the largest number of immigrants globally, some countries, including Canada, report a higher proportion of immigrants within their populations. In Canada, for instance, immigrants make up 22% of the population, while in the United Arab Emirates, nearly three-quarters of residents were born abroad.
The origins of U.S. immigrants present a varied picture. As of mid-2023, more than 11 million immigrants hailed from Mexico, which constituted 22% of all immigrants in the U.S. The next largest groups were from India (3.2 million or 6%), China (3 million or 6%), the Philippines (2.1 million or 4%), and Cuba (1.7 million or 3%). Latin America was the birthplace of around 52% of all immigrants, translating to approximately 26.7 million individuals. Significant populations also migrated from other countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Venezuela.
In contrast, Asia contributed a sizable number of immigrants, accounting for about 27% of the total foreign-born population in 2023. Approximately 14 million immigrants originated from this region, reflecting a significant influx over recent years. Other demographic analyses show that immigration flows have been changing, with growing numbers arriving from South America and Europe, while the share coming from Asia and sub-Saharan Africa appears to be diminishing.
From 2021 to 2023, there was an unprecedented influx of over 11 million new immigrants to the U.S., including 3 million in 2023 alone—the largest annual total recorded. In this period, 20% of newly arrived immigrants came from South America, a notable increase from 13% in the previous five-year span. Concurrently, migration from South and East Asia dropped from 29% to 24%, and new arrivals from sub-Saharan Africa accounted for a mere 5% as opposed to 8% before.
To put this data in further context, Mexico remained the dominant country of origin for immigrants arriving between 2021 and 2023, contributing 11% of this group. Other noteworthy nations included India (8%), Venezuela (7%), Cuba (6%), and Colombia (5%). During this time, an overwhelming portion of the new immigrant arrivals were unauthorized, primarily from Central and South America.
Examining the broader historical trends in immigration, it becomes evident that since 1965, over 76 million immigrants have settled in the U.S. Prior to that pivotal year, U.S. immigration laws mainly favored individuals from Northern and Western Europe, effectively barring entrants from Asian nations. The passage of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act significantly altered this landscape, allowing greater immigration from Asia and Latin America. Further changes in 1990 expanded legal immigration and permitted entry from an even wider array of countries.
The long-term patterns reveal that before 1965, roughly 90% of immigrants came from Europe, with significant contingencies from countries such as Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Post-1965, immigration patterns have diversified, with half of the immigrants arriving from Latin America—about a quarter from Mexico alone—and another significant portion originating from Asia. However, notable declines in immigration from Mexico have been observed since 2007, contributing to a decrease in the Mexican-born population in the U.S. From 2010 to 2023, the Mexican share of the U.S. immigrant population fell from 29% to 22%.
The legal status of immigrants in the U.S. is complex and diverse. As of 2023, 46% of immigrants were naturalized U.S. citizens. In addition, nearly a quarter (23%) were lawful permanent residents, or “green card holders.” Approximately 4% held lawful temporary residency status for work or study, while unauthorized immigrants, making up 27% of the immigrant population, created a significant demographic subset.
The unauthorized immigrant category has swelled to a record 14 million individuals as of 2023. Among them, about 6 million held some form of temporary protection from deportation. This protection included 2.6 million asylum seekers, 700,000 parole entrants, and others benefiting from Temporary Protected Status or DACA.
There remains a concerning percentage of unauthorized immigrants—about 8 million—who lack any legal status or protection from deportation. Recent policy shifts led to the decline of the unauthorized immigrant population between January and June, as border crossings reached historical lows and immigration arrests and deportations surged.
While many lawful permanent residents meet eligibility requirements for U.S. citizenship, not all choose to pursue naturalization. In the fiscal year 2024, 818,500 immigrants became citizens, but a significant number of eligible immigrants have yet to apply for citizenship.
As the immigrant population fluctuates, the number of working immigrants has also seen a decline. The most recent data reveals that 33 million immigrants were a part of the workforce as of 2023, including 23 million lawful immigrants and 10 million unauthorized workers. Immigrants made up about 19% of all workers in 2023, an increase from previous decades—just 12% of the workforce in 1995.
Among the immigrant population, a notable 2% of adults are currently enlisted or formerly served in the military.
Geographically, immigrant concentration is not evenly distributed across the U.S. In 2023, the majority of the 51.8 million immigrants resided in just four states, with California leading at 28.4% of the national total (11.3 million immigrants). Texas followed with over 6 million, then Florida with 5.4 million, and New York hosting 5 million immigrants. Notably, 12 metropolitan areas accounted for a large chunk of the immigrant population, with the New York City area encompassing the largest share at 13%. Los Angeles and Miami were also considerable immigrant hubs, housing 9% and 6% of all U.S. immigrants, respectively.
Educational attainment among immigrants in the U.S. demonstrates considerable variance. As of 2023, 24% of immigrant adults aged 25 and older had not completed high school, while the corresponding figure for U.S.-born individuals was significantly lower at just 7%. Conversely, 36% of immigrants held a bachelor’s degree or higher, matching the educational attainment of native-born citizens.
However, there are considerable disparities in education based on the immigrants’ regions of origin. Only 11% of Central American immigrants possessed a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 36% of U.S.-born adults. In contrast, immigrants from regions such as Asia and Europe generally outperformed U.S.-born individuals in higher education levels.
When it comes to language skills, approximately 52% of immigrants aged 5 and older are proficient in English, either speaking it fluently or only speaking English at home. Proficiency in English varies widely, with the highest levels among immigrants from North America and Oceania. Conversely, immigrants from Central America showed lower proficiency, with only about one in three capable of speaking English proficiently.
Understanding the immigrant situation in the United States necessitates a complex examination of laws, demographics, and shifting political landscapes. As policy continues to evolve, the immigrant population’s composition and their contributions to society remain under scrutiny, spotlighting vital discussions about the role of immigration in shaping future American society.
image source from：pewresearch
