Demographics
Immigrants are a vital, dynamic part of the U.S. population—especially when it comes to the workforce. 77.1% of immigrants are of working age (16–64), compared to just 62.0% of U.S.-born residents, making them key contributors to the economy as both taxpayers and consumers.
- 22.9 million immigrants are active in the U.S. workforce
- 74% of foreign-born residents are proficient in English
- 89.4% of all undocumented immigrants are of working age
- 5.2 million U.S. citizen children living with at least one undocumented family member
- Only 4.9% of immigrants are under 15, compared to 20.3% of U.S.-born residents
- 18% of immigrants are 65+, nearly identical to the 17.7% of U.S.-born seniors
This Controversial Immigration Enforcement Program Threatens U.S. Communities
In an era of increased immigration enforcement, it is even more important to understand the ways in which some states and localities collaborate with the federal government. Recent research also highlights the benefits that immigrants bring to these communities across the country—contributions that could be jeopardized by aggressive enforcement efforts… Read More
What Are the Risks of Adding a Citizenship Question to the Decennial Census?
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Monday night that a question on citizenship status will be added to the 2020 decennial census questionnaire. This decision, which was adopted in response to a request from the Department of Justice, has raised deep concern within both the immigrant rights and academic… Read More
The United States’ Undocumented Population Has Been on the Decline Since 2010
With approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States, curbing unauthorized immigration has been at the forefront of the Trump administration’s enforcement priorities. Yet new data shows that a heightened focus on this population may be misguided, as the number of undocumented immigrants… Read More
Immigrants Make up a Smaller Share of the U.S. Population Than They Did 100 Years Ago
The United States has been created by successive waves of immigration over the course of centuries. Each wave of immigrants from different parts of the world has helped to build the U.S. economy and enrich U.S. society. And each wave of immigrants has provoked a chorus of dire warnings from… Read More
Immigrants and Refugees Are Among America’s 2017 Nobel Prize Winners
The Nobel Prizes, awarded annually in recognition of extraordinary achievement in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace, have once again been won by Americans who came here as immigrants and refugees. Three out of the five Nobel Prize categories included immigrants or refugees. Immigrants have a history of… Read More
Where Do You Find the Most Resistance to Immigration?
Conventional thinking may lead some to believe that those communities that fight the hardest against immigration are the ones receiving the greatest influx of foreign newcomers. If people are wary of the changes immigrants are bringing to their communities, they would naturally seem to be the most vocal in… Read More
Border Wall May Be an Expensive Solution to a Nonexistent Problem
If the Trump administration fulfills its promise to build a “big, beautiful wall” along the entire length of the U.S.-Mexico border, it will be a very costly solution to a problem that no longer exists—and may not exist again for a very long time. A report from the… Read More
Here’s How Immigrant Women Are Essential to Our Labor Force
International Women’s Day is an appropriate time to take stock of the many ways in which immigrant women contribute to the labor force of the United States. Some of these contributions are often overlooked, but all of the work that immigrant women do adds value to the economy—and to U.S. Read More
New American Undergraduates Are Key to Growth
The U.S. Department of Education recently released new data on university undergraduates that underscores the key role immigrants and their children play in our economy. New American Undergraduates examines the enrollment trends of immigrant (foreign-born) and second-generation (born in the U.S. to at least one foreign-born parent) students. Together, they are referred to as New Americans, and they comprise an important share of college students who will then move on to contribute to the U.S. economy as workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers, consumers, and homeowners. Read More
Immigrant Service Members to be Naturalized and Remembered on Veterans Day
This year on Veterans Day, over 40 naturalization ceremonies will take place and 7,500 veterans, service members, and military spouses will become the newest Americans. While that may seems like a large number of people, it should come as no surprise as immigrant participation in the U.S. armed services is… Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar
No one should face the immigration system alone
