Washington, D.C. (February 23, 2022) – A Center for Immigration Studies analysis of the Census Bureau’s monthly household survey shows that the total immigrant population (legal and illegal together) grew 1.6 million in the last year, hitting 46.6 million in January 2022 – the highest number ever in American history. Immigrants, also referred to as the “foreign-born”, include all persons who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The new numbers are important because, unlike arrival figures for legal immigrants or border apprehensions, the household survey directly measures the number of foreign-born people living in the country, which is what ultimately determines immigration’s impact on American society.
Steven Camarota, the Center’s director of research and co-author of the report, pointed out that, “The enormous number of people now settling in the country reflects both our permissive legal immigration system and the decision not to control illegal immigration. Unfortunately, our national leaders seldom, if ever, ask the most important question: is this historic growth in the interest of the American people?”
- The number of immigrants in the country grew 1.6 million from January 2021 to January 2022.
- The recent growth reflects a dramatic rebound in the numbers. Between February and August of 2020 the number of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the country declined by 1.2 million as a result of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
- Hispanic immigrants accounted for 70 percent (1.1 million) of the increase in the foreign-born in the last year, indicating that a large share of growth was likely caused by illegal immigration. The federal government and outside researchers have estimated about three-quarters of illegal immigrants are Hispanic.
- As a share of the total population, immigrants were 14.2 percent of the total population — the highest percentage in 112 years.
- If present trends continue, the immigrant share of the population will likely surpass the all-time highs reached in 1890 (14.8 percent) and 1910 (14.7 percent) in the next few years.
- In addition to the immigrants themselves, their U.S.-born children also have an impact. In January of 2022 there were 63.5 million immigrants and their U.S.-born children (<18) in the country, accounting for nearly one in five U.S. residents.
- States with the largest increase in the immigrant population from January 2020 to January 2022 are Florida (up 531,000), Virginia (up 268,000), Texas (up 263,000), California (up 212,000), Indiana (up 205,000), Tennessee (up 198,000) and New Jersey (up 183,000).
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