5 facts about illegal immigration in the U.S.
There were 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2017. The number of Mexican unauthorized immigrants declined since 2007.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Unauthorized Immigration
All
Unauthorized Immigration
Publications
Filtering by:
Reset
-
-
Mexicans decline to less than half the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population for the first time
The number of Mexican unauthorized immigrants has fallen since its peak of 6.9 million in 2007 and was lower in 2017 than in any year since 2001.
-
Migrant apprehensions and deportations increase in Mexico, but remain below recent highs
Mexico has apprehended and deported more migrants within its borders so far this fiscal year than at the same point in fiscal 2018.
-
Unauthorized immigrant population trends for states, birth countries and regions
In 2017, an estimated 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants lived in the United States, down from a peak of 12.2 million in 2007. Explore trends in the unauthorized immigrant population for U.S. states, as well as for birth countries and regions, based on Pew Research Center estimates.
-
U.S. unauthorized immigrants are more proficient in English, more educated than a decade ago
In 2016, a third of unauthorized immigrant adults were proficient in English – up from a quarter in 2007.
-
Key facts about U.S. immigration policies and Trump’s proposed changes
Proposals to change the U.S. immigration system have received renewed attention under the Trump administration. Read key details about U.S. immigration programs.
-
20 metro areas are home to six-in-ten unauthorized immigrants in U.S.
In 2016, the 20 U.S. metro areas with the most unauthorized immigrants were home to 6.5 million of them, or 61% of the estimated total.
-
Estimates of U.S. unauthorized immigrant population, by metro area, 2016 and 2007
Sortable table of estimates of unauthorized immigrant populations in 182 U.S. metropolitan areas, derived from a sample of census data.
-
Explore unauthorized immigration by state using our new interactive
Unauthorized immigrants make up a quarter of all U.S. foreign-born residents. Our new interactive offers data on unauthorized immigrants by state.
-
U.S. unauthorized immigrant population estimates by state, 2016
Pew Research Center estimates that 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants, the lowest level in a decade, lived in the U.S. in 2016
