National Data

Summary

Population

According to the Census Bureau, the population of United States in 2010 was 308,745,538.

Between 2009 and 2010, the state's average annual population change was 2,732,363 residents. That was an annual average percentage change of about 0.9%. The comparable national annual percentage rate of change was about 0.9%.

Between 1990 (population 248,709,875) and 2000, the state's annual average population change was 3,271,203 residents). The annual average percentage rate of change was about 1.2% compared to the national rate of change of 1.2%.

Foreign-Born Population

According to the Census Bureau the foreign-born population of United States was about 40,156,574 persons in 2010. This estimate meant a foreign-born population share of 13 percent. The chart to the right shows the long-term change in the state's foreign-born population based on Census Bureau data.

Foreign-Born Change

Between 2000 and 2010 the Census Bureau estimate indicates an average annual rate of change in the foreign-born population of about 904,869 people, compared to the state's annual average population change of about 33.1 people. That is a 13 percent share of the state's population change (not including the children born in the United States to illegal aliens).

Immigration also contributes to population growth through the U.S.-born children of immigrants. Nationally the share of births to the foreign-born is about double their share of the population. A 26 percent share of the state's current births is large enough to account for about 1,078,721 births a year. Combining the average increase in the foreign-born population and estimated immigrant births suggests that immigration may account for about 1,983,590 persons added to the state's population annually, i.e., nearly 72.6 percent of the state's overall population increase.

As of 2010 about 34.5 percent of United States's foreign-born population had arrived in the state since 2009. This compares with the national average 34.5 percent. In 2009, 42.4 percent of the state's foreign-born population that had arrived since the previous Census.

Foreign-Born Characteristics

An indicator of the change in United States's immigrant population may be seen in data on the share of the population over five years of age that speaks a language other than English at home. Between 2009 and 2010, the share of non-English speakers changed from 17.9 percent to 20.6 percent. About 45.4 percent of those persons in 2009 also said they spoke English less than very well. In the 2010 estimate, the share was 42.4 percent that spoke English less than very well. In 2010 Spanish speakers were 62.1 percent of those who spoke other than English at home, and 65.5 percent of those who spoke English less than very well.

The chart above shows the foreign-born population changed by 24 percent since 2000 and the share of that population from Latin America and the Caribbean changed by 26.8 percent. That region's share of the state's immigrant population grew from 51.9 percent to 53.1 percent in 2009.

Naturalization

The most recent Census Bureau data in 2010 indicate that 17,476,082 residents of United States, or 43.5 percent, of the foreign-born population in United States were naturalized U.S. citizens, compared to 12,542,626 residents, or 40.3 percent, in 2000.

Nationally, 40.3 percent of the foreign-born population was naturalized in 2000, and 43.5 percent in 2010.

Net International Migration (NIM)

Using the Current Population Survey (CPS), the Census Bureau estimated that between 2000 and 2000, the average annual change in United States's population resulting from net international migration has been about 966,937 people. It was 0.3 percent of the state's total change (not including the children born to the immigrants after their arrival in the United States). The remainder was due to net domestic migration and natural change (births minus deaths).

Immigrant Admissions

Recent "green card" recipients who intend to reside in United States were 219.4 percent of the level of admissions just after adoption of the current immigration system in 1965. During the 1965 to 1969 period, annual admissions averaged about 348,534 persons. During the most recent five years, annual admissions averaged about 1,113,318 persons.

Immigrant admissions data are from the Yearbook of Immigration Statistics.

The chart above shows recent immigrant admissions and the cumulative amount of immigrant admissions since FY'65. The cumulative total of immigrant admissions to United States between fiscal years 1965 and 2010 has been 33,121,645 persons.

The data for fiscal years 1989-91 were artificially raised by the inclusion of former illegal aliens who were amnestied in 1986. According to INS data (1991) the number of amnesty applicants from United States was 3,018,691 (1,754,882 pre-1982 residents and 1,263,809 agricultural workers). These data were published by the Immigration and Naturalization Service and reported in "Report on the Legalized Alien Population," March 1992.

Admissions by Nationality: FY'96 - FY'05

The table below furnishes INS data by nationality on the immigrants who were admitted for residence in United States between 1996 and 2005.

The INS data are for nationals of the countries with the largest number of immigrants admitted or adjusted to legal residence each year since 1996. The absence of data means that the total number of admissions to the United States by nationals of that country was not enough to merit detailed reporting in that year.

The Department of Homeland Security website has detailed data on immigrant admissions since FY'03 by year and by source country and intended state of residence. (See http://www.dhs.gov/files/statistics/publications/yearbook.shtm) then select the desired year, click Legal Permanent Residents, data and then select "supplemental table 1."

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Refugees

United States has received 859,788 refugees over the most recent ten fiscal years including 113,928 refugees in fiscal year 2009. Refugee settlement is the only immigration program that requires consent of the state government. The chart to the right shows the annual admissions over the last ten years and the cumulative total of those admissions using data complied by the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The U.S. government program that distributes new refugees among the states is the only immigration program that provides state governments the opportunity to participate in deciding how many newcomers will come to that state each year.

Illegal Aliens

FAIR Estimate - FAIR estimates the illegal alien population of United States as of 2010 was about 11,900,000 persons. This is part of an overall estimate of the U.S. illegal alien population of about 11,900,000 persons.

DHS Estimate - The current estimate by DHS of the illegal alien population in United States was 10,790,000 in 2010. The DHS estimate is available for only the 10 states with the largest illegal alien populations. The DHS estimate of the national illegal alien population in 2010 was 10,790,000.

Other Estimates - The Pew Hispanic Center estimates the illegal alien population of the state at 11,200,000 as of 2010.

Fiscal Cost of Illegal Aliens

FAIR's 2010 fiscal cost study, "The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers" estimated the cost outlays and tax receipts as shown on the right:

Limited English Proficiency Students

Data are not available nationally on immigrant students (either legally or illegally resident in the United States) who are enrolled in primary and secondary schools (K-12). However, a large majority of these students enrolled in Limited English Proficiency/English Language Learning (LEP/ELL) instruction programs may be assumed to be children of either legal or illegal immigrants with a predominance of children of illegal aliens.

In United States, LEP public school enrollment in 2009 (4,683,223) was 33.2 percent of LEP enrollment a decade earlier. By contrast, overall K-12 enrollment in the state was 49,185,384 percent of enrollment a decade earlier.

Population Projection

FAIR projected United States's population in 2050 likely would be between 443,808,000 million and 460,681,000 million with current levels of immigration. Alternatively, the population could be lower (368,194,000) if immigration were reduced to a level where it balanced the number of U.S. residents leaving to reside outside of the United states, i.e., zero-net immigration. See "Projecting the U.S. Population to 2050: Four Immigration Scenarios," FAIR 2006.

Foreign Students

Data compiled by the Institute of International Education (IIE) record the number of foreign students attending post-secondary school in United States as 691,374 in 2010.

The chart to the right illustrates the change in the number of foreign students attending school in United States since 1997.

For information on foreign student issues see: Foreign Students in the United States.