Immigration Statistics Fast Facts

Legal Immigration Statistics: 2016 - 1,183,505 people are granted lawful permanent residence in the United States. The top countries of origin of these "green card" recipients, or LPRs:

-- Mexico = 172,726

-- China = 77,658

-- Cuba = 66,120

-- India = 61,691

-- Dominican Republic = 60,613

2016 - The top US states where legal permanent residents live are:

-- California = 223,141

-- New York = 159,878

-- Florida = 136,337

-- Texas = 110,651

-- New Jersey = 56,187

2016 - A total of 753,060 people become naturalized US citizens.

Residents becoming naturalized citizens in 2016 had spent a median of seven years in LPR status. Immigrants born in Asia and Africa had the shortest wait time, six years, while those from North America and Oceania had the longest wait time,10 years.

Undocumented Immigration Statistics: 2017 - The Department of Homeland Security estimates that there were 12.1 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2014, up from 11.6 million in 2010. The top countries of origin are:

-- Mexico = 6.6 million

-- El Salvador = 700,000

-- Guatemala = 640,000

-- India = 430,000

-- Honduras = 400,000

-- Philippines = 360,000

2014 - The top US states where unauthorized immigrants settle are:

-- California (24%)

-- Texas (16%)

-- Florida (6%)

-- New York (5%)

-- Illinois (5%)

2016 - 530,250 unauthorized immigrants are apprehended.

2016 - 340,056 unauthorized immigrants are removed.

Unaccompanied Alien Children: "Unaccompanied alien children" (UAC - term used by US Customs and Border Protection) are referred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, for care while their immigration cases are adjudicated:

-- FY2017 - 40,810

-- FY2016 - 59,170

-- FY2015 - 33,726

-- FY2014 - 57,496

The top countries of origin for UAC (FY2017):

-- Guatemala (45%)

-- El Salvador (27%)

-- Honduras (23%)

About 68% of UAC are boys (FY2017).

About 37% of UAC are between 15 and 16 years old (FY2017).

The average length of stay in shelter care was 41 days (FY2017).