How many refugees and green card recipients are in the US?

Refugee admissions to the US are increasing after a 40-year low, and the country accepted more green card applications in 2022 than in 2021. So, which countries are the largest sources of immigrants? Let’s break down the numbers.

As the pandemic continued through 2021, the US hit a 40-year annual low of 11,411 arriving refugees. By 2023, that number had risen to over 60,000 — the most since 2016. From fiscal year 2011 to 2023, the US admitted 624,589 refugees, nearly the population of Vermont.
Myanmar citizens comprised the largest group of refugee arrivals from 2011 to 2023, with 117,557 people (18.8% of all refugees), followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 98,121 (15.7%) and Iraq with 93,640 (15.0%).
As of June 30 of this year, 15,227 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo have arrived in the US, accounting for 22.3% of year-to-date refugee arrivals. Afghanistan is next with 9,975 (14.6%), followed by Syria with 8,653 (12.7%).
The US accepted 1.02 million green card applications in 2022, a 37.6% increase from the year before. As of January 2023, 12.7 million lawful permanent residents lived in the US. Green cards are issued to asylum seekers, refugees, people coming to the US to be with family, and other immigrants to grant lawful permanent resident status, paving the way to full citizenship.
Of the nearly 10 million green card recipients over the past decade, 14.4% came from Mexico, followed by India (7.2%), China (6.6%), Cuba (4.6%), and the Dominican Republic (4.6%).

Learn more about the immigration system

Which countries own the most US debt?

The government owes trillions of dollars in debt to foreign entities, including US Treasury bonds and other securities. Here’s an overview of foreign-owned debt and what types of assets these countries and their people and institutions hold. 

As of April 2024, foreign entities own approximately $7.9 trillion in US Treasury securities (also called “Treasurys”), accounting for 22.9% of total US debt. 
Over the past 20 years, Japan and China have consistently owned more US Treasurys than any other foreign nation. Between December 2000 and April 2024, Japan's holdings grew from $556.3 billion to just over $1.1 trillion, while China's increased from $105.6 billion to $749.0 billion.

As of April, the five countries holding the most US debt are Japan ($1.1 trillion), China ($749.0 billion), the United Kingdom ($690.2 billion), Luxembourg ($373.5 billion), and Canada ($328.7 billion).
Foreign governments and entities primarily purchase public debt because it is marketable and can be resold. Public debt is sold as Treasury bonds, bills, and notes to outside investors, including foreign governments, to fund federal activities and pay off older debts.

Learn more about foreign-owned debt

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Data behind the news

A classified report from March recently came to light, showing that President Joe Biden ordered forces to prepare for potential nuclear confrontations with China, North Korea, and Russia. Read about how many nuclear weapons the US has.

USAFacts founder Steve Ballmer recently spoke with the Hard Fork podcast about how USAFacts is providing source data to make politics less polarized.

Last week, Ford Motor Company announced that it would delay a new large electric pickup truck by at least a year and a half and scrap an electric sport utility vehicle. This article from our archives explores the number of electric cars on US roads. We also have data on the emissions electric vehicles produce.

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One last fact: Election edition

Map of counties required to provide non-English language ballots under the Voting Rights Act

Thirty states are now required to provide non-English voting materials in one or more locations. Localities must provide written translations of all election materials, including the ballot, voter registration, candidate information, polling place notices, and more. The Justice Department also emphasizes the need for bilingual poll workers.