Washington, D.C. (September 16, 2022) - The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) data released yesterday shows 45.3 million foreign-born residents in 2021 — 1.8 million larger than in 2020. However, significant problems with data collection in 2020 due to Covid-19 make it difficult to interpret the 1.8 million increase between 2020 and 2021. Equally important, the 2021 ACS survey only reflects the population through July 2021 and does not fully reflect the ongoing border surge or the increase in legal immigration in 2021 as Covid-19 travel restrictions abated.
 
All of the available evidence indicates that the scale of immigration (legal and illegal together) has been enormous since July of 2022. The more updated 2022 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), which was released just three days ago, reflects the population in March of this year and shows 46.8 million foreign-born residents. Moreover, the monthly Current Public Survey (CPS) from August of this year, the newest data available, shows 47.3 million foreign-born residents.
 
“Normally the fact that government surveys that measure immigration are collected at different times is inconsequential, said Steven Camarota the Center’s Director of Research.  “But the rapidly changing immigration situation, particularly at the border, means the more up-to-date data provides a clearer picture of what’s happening – and the most recent data shows a dramatic increase in the foreign-born.”  
 
More discussion of these issues can be found here.  
 
About the size and growth of the foreign-born population:

• The 2021 American Community Survey (ACS), which reflects the population in July 2021, shows 45.3 million foreign-born residents living in the U.S. This is the largest foreign-born population the ACS has ever shown.
• The 2022 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), which was released just three days ago, reflects the population in March of this year and shows 46.8 million foreign-born residents.
• Analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies of the public-use monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) from August 2022 shows a foreign-born population of 47.3 million.
• Although the 2021 ACS is somewhat out of date, the survey’s large size makes it possible to measure growth by immigrant-sending countries. The largest numerical increases from 2010 to 2021 were for immigrants from India, up 929,000; China, up 588,000; the Dominican Republic, up 376,000; Venezuela, up 361,000; Guatemala, up 276,000; Honduras, up 245,000; Brazil, up 230,000, Nigeria, up 224,000; and Colombia, up 218,000.
• The largest percentage increases from 2010 to 2021 by country were for Venezuela, up 196 percent; Nepal, up 151 percent; Afghanistan, up 127 percent; Burma, up 111 percent; Nigeria, up 102 percent; Bangladesh, up 86 percent; Syria, up 79 percent; Kenya, up 74 percent; and Brazil, up 68 percent.
• The large size of the ACS also makes it possible to measure growth in the foreign-born population by state. The largest numerical increases from 2010 to 2021 in immigrant populations were in Florida, up 951,000; Texas, up 950,000; California, up 301,000; New Jersey, up 290,000; Washington State, up 257,000; Massachusetts, up 244,000; Pennsylvania, up 200,000; Maryland, up 175,000; Virginia, up 159,000; and North Carolina, up 151,000.
• The states with the largest percentage increases from 2010 to 2021 were North Dakota, up 103 percent; Delaware, up 41 percent; South Dakota, up 39 percent; Idaho, up 32 percent; Kentucky, Washington, Minnesota, and Nebraska, each up 29 percent; Tennessee, up 28 percent; and Pennsylvania, up 27 percent. This compares to a national increase of 13 percent.