The estimated population of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. stands at around ** million people. Although the number has stabilized, the United States has seen a spike in migrant encounters in the last few years, with over * million cases registered by the U.S. Border Patrol in 2023. This is a slight decrease from the previous year, when there were over *** million cases registered. Due to its proximity and shared border, Mexico remains the leading country of origin for most undocumented immigrants in the U.S., with California and Texas being home to the majority.

Immigration and political division

Despite the majority of the population having immigrant roots, the topic of immigration in the U.S. remains one of the country’s longest-standing political debates. Support among Republicans for restrictive immigration has grown alongside Democratic support for open immigration. This growing divide has deepened the polarization between the two major political parties, stifling constructive dialogue and impeding meaningful reform efforts and as a result, has led to dissatisfaction from all sides. In addition to general immigration policy, feelings toward illegal immigration in the U.S. also vary widely. For some, it's seen as a significant threat to national security, cultural identity, and economic stability. This perspective often aligns with support for stringent measures like Trump's proposed border wall and increased enforcement efforts. On the other hand, there are those who are more sympathetic toward undocumented immigrants, as demonstrated by support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In 2022, an estimated 10.99 million unauthorized immigrants were living in the United States. This is an increase from about 3.5 million unauthorized immigrants who lived in the United States in 1990.

In 2024, when asked how undocumented immigrants to the United States should be handled, 39 percent of American survey respondents said that there should be a way for them to become legal U.S. residents and apply for citizenship. In 2022, it was estimated that there were about eleven million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

This graph shows the support of Americans on the immigration law that had passed Senate in June 2013. As of July 2013, about 46 percent of Americans supported the immigration law that included a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants now living in the United States and stricter border control.

In 2022, about **** million illegal aliens were apprehended in the United States. This was a significant increase from the previous year, when there were around **** million illegal aliens apprehended nationwide. Apprehensions refer to Border Patrol apprehensions and ICE administrative arrests.

In January 2022, it was estimated that about 1.85 million male illegal immigrants living in the United States were aged between 35 and 44 years old. In that same year, it was estimated that 1.52 million female illegal immigrants living in the U.S. were between 35 and 44 years old.

Abstract (en): Transatlantic Trends: Immigration, 2009 examined attitudes and policy preferences related to immigration in Europe, Canada, and the United States. The survey concentrated on issues such as: general perceptions of immigration and immigrants, perceptions of legal and illegal immigrants, the impact of immigration on society, admittance of immigrants, immigration policies, immigration and integration, decision-making level, socio-political rights, welfare, government evaluation and number of immigrants, interaction with immigrants, and economic crisis. In addition, a list experiment was implemented in this survey. Several questions were also asked pertaining to voting and politics including vote intention, political party attachment, whether candidate parties' agendas on immigration will influence their vote, and left-right political self-placement. Demographic and other background information includes age, gender, ethnicity, citizenship, origin of birth (personal and parental), religious affiliation, age when stopped full-time education and stage at which full-time education was completed, occupation, type of locality, region of residence, and language of interview. Please refer to the "Technical Note" in the ICPSR codebook for further information about weighting. ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection: Created online analysis version with question text.; Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.. Response Rates: The total response rate for all countries surveyed is 13 percent. Please refer to the "Technical Note" in the ICPSR codebook for additional information about response rate. The adult population aged 18 years and over, with access to a landline telephone in eight countries: Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States. Smallest Geographic Unit: country (1) Stratified multi-stage random sampling (3 steps selection) was implemented. Sampling points were selected according to region and urbanization, and then random routes were conducted within these sampling points. (2) Random-digit dialing was implemented in all countries. Up to eight callbacks were used for each telephone number. The closest birthday rule was used to randomly select respondents within a household. computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI)The original data collection was carried out by TNS Opinion and Social -- Brussels, on request of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.The documentation and/or setup files may contain references to Poland, but Poland was not a participant in this Transatlantic Trends: Immigration survey. This collection contains no data for Poland.A split ballot was used for questions Q6, Q8, Q15, Q19, and Q25 in this survey. The variables Q6_SPLIT, Q8_SPLIT, Q15_SPLIT, Q19_SPLIT, and Q25_SPLIT define the separate groups for each of these questions. Additional information on the Transatlantic Trends Survey is provided on the Transatlantic Trends Web site.

Dear State, Tribal, Territorial, and Local Government Partners, On February 19, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders .” As the Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, I am committed to faithfully implementing the President's Executive Order. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides federal leadership, partnership, and resources for the compassionate and effective delivery of human services to vulnerable populations to help families achieve prosperity and independence. Program eligibility rules are determined by Congress. In 1996, Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA, P.L. 104-193) that generally prohibits illegal aliens from receiving Federal benefits, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child-Care, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Foster Care, Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Title IV of the PRWORA states that “[i]t is a compelling government interest to remove the incentive for illegal immigration provided by the availability of public benefits.” Nearly three decades after enactment, the promise of PRWORA has been eroded. That ends now. Illegal aliens have already violated United States law and we will not be spending taxpayer dollars to take care of their needs. President Trump's Executive Order reaffirms this important national policy and puts the needs of Americans first. To implement the President’s Executive Order, ACF will use all available legal authority to end any incentives in human services programs that encourage illegal immigration. To that end, ACF is reviewing the public benefit programs we administer to ensure alignment with the President's Executive Order. Following that review, ACF will implement necessary changes so all its programs are consistent with Federal law, including PRWORA. ACF will also work to ensure that all information about program eligibility is accurate and does not serve as an incentive to encourage illegal migration. Furthermore, ACF will take all necessary measures to improve eligibility verification, deter fraud, and enforce the law by revoking grants to organizations that distribute benefits to illegal aliens in contravention of federal or state law. I look forward to working with State, Tribal, territorial, and local government partners to achieve the purpose of the President's Executive Order. I am confident its implementation will improve program integrity, exercise sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and better support our Nation’s children and families. Thank you for your continued work to help address the human service needs of vulnerable Americans. I welcome any ideas you might have in improving the administration of ACF programs and achieving alignment with the President's Executive Order. Sincerely, Andrew Gradison Acting Assistant Secretary Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

This poll, fielded May 18-23, 2007, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. An oversample of African Americans was conducted for this poll. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way George W. Bush was handling the presidency and issues such as immigration and foreign policy. Views were sought on Vice President Dick Cheney, the United States Congress, the most important problem facing the country, and the condition of the national economy. Those who were registered to vote were asked how closely they were following the 2008 presidential campaign, whether they were more likely to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary, for whom they would vote, their opinion of the nominees from each party, and which party they trusted to handle foreign policy and immigration issues. A series of questions addressed immigration policy in the United States, the effect of legal and illegal immigration on the economy, society, crime, and terrorism, whether immigration should be kept at current levels, and respondents' opinions of proposed solutions for dealing with illegal immigration. Additional topics addressed the war in Iraq, abortion, baseball star Barry Bonds, and steroid use in professional sports. Information was also collected on whether respondents were born in the United States, whether they had been raised in a non-English speaking household, and whether they had regular contact with anyone who was a legal or illegal immigrant to the United States. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education level, marital status, United States citizenship status, household income, religious preference, frequency of religious attendance, military service, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status and participation history, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), the presence of children under 18 and household members between the ages of 18 and 24, and whether respondents had children attending a four-year college.

The aim of the Transatlantic Trends Survey is to identify the attitudes of the public in the United States and European countries towards foreign policy issues and transatlantic issues. Transatlantic Trends: Immigration, a special topic public opinion survey conducted yearly since 2008, is a project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. For 2011, the Immigration survey examined attitudes and policy preferences related to immigration in France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This collection focused on respondent perceptions of legal and illegal immigrants, conditions for admittance of immigrants, level of support for policies to reduce immigration, preconditions for citizenship, and whether or not immigration enriched society. Respondents were asked to identify the most important issues facing their country, to evaluate their government's performance in managing immigration and the economy, whether immigration presented a national opportunity or a problem, and whether they believed immigrants were integrating well into society. Additional topics included the developments in North Africa and the Middle East, responsibility for displaced refugees coming from North Africa, and whether the respondent's nation should offer economic aid to countries committed to democracy. Lastly, respondents were asked about which political party they identified with, their voting intentions in the next national election, and whether political party agendas would influence their vote. Demographic and other background information includes gender, age, stage at which full-time education was completed, age when stopped full-time education, employment status, ethnic background, country of birth, citizenship, parents' citizenship status, type of phone line, ownership of a mobile phone, and the number of people in their household.

This poll, fielded October 23-27, 1996, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Bill Clinton and his handling of the presidency and issues such as foreign policy. Several questions asked how much respondents had been paying attention to the presidential campaign, whether they were likely to vote in the election for president, which candidate they would vote for if the presidential and United States House of Representatives elections were being held that day, whether they had favorable opinions of the candidates and trusted them, and who they expected to win. Respondents were asked to rate the condition of the national economy, whether they thought trade with other countries, such as Mexico and Canada, was good for the United States economy, whether they approved of the way Bill Clinton was handling relations with Cuba, Mexico, and Canada, and the importance of these countries to the United States' interests. Several questions asked for respondents' opinions on welfare, including whether most people on welfare were immigrants or belonged to a specific ethnic group, whether respondents approved of a recent law that changed the welfare system, and whether eligibility for welfare should be limited. A series of questions asked respondents whether trade restrictions were necessary, whether they favored the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), whether it should be expanded to other Latin American countries, and how many foreign products respondents had purchased in the past few years. Respondents were asked for their opinions on immigration to the United States, including the effects of immigration on society, whether immigrants should be eligible for entitlements programs and other benefits, and the country of origin of current legal and illegal immigrants. Information was also collected on whether respondents considered themselves part of the conservative Christian movement, and Hispanic respondents were asked about their country of birth and that of their ancestors. Additional topics included abortion, affirmative action, race and gender discrimination in job hiring practices, the trade embargo against Cuba, and whether the government should be more involved in people's lives and do more to solve national problems. Demographic variables include sex, race, age, household income, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter participation history and registration status, employment status, military service, whether respondents had any children under the age of 18, household union membership, length of time living at current residence, and type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural).

Adults who lean towards the Democratic Party are less likely to believe that undocumented immigrants commit more crimes than U.S. citizens, with a 2018 survey finding that ** percent of Democrats who correctly believe that most immigrants live in the U.S. legally also believe that undocumented immigrants are no more likely than U.S. citizens to commit serious crimes. This drops to ** percent for Republicans who believe the majority of immigrants are undocumented.

It was estimated that, in 2015, around ** percent of immigrants in the United States were living in the country legally.

This poll, conducted April 6-9, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions on the current direction of the country, the most important problem the country is facing, the national economy, and to rate the job performance of the United States Congress. Respondents were also asked about the way George W. Bush was handling certain issues, such as the economy, immigration, the war in Iraq, and terrorism, whether or not they approved of his overall job performance, and whether or not he and his policies would affect the way they would vote in Congressional elections. The next section of the survey addressed immigration, legal and illegal immigrants, amnesty, and a security fence between the United States and Mexico. The survey also contained questions about Pope Benedict XVI, the Catholic clergy, various religious groups, Creationism, the Bible, and the respondent's religious background, beliefs, and practices. Respondents were then asked for their opinions on the Republican and Democratic parties, and the war in and the future of Iraq. Additional questions solicited information on whether or not the respondents or someone they knew had served in Iraq, as well as the respondents' television news viewing habits. Background information on respondents includes military service, voter registration status, party identification, marital status, sex, religious preference, education record, age, ethnicity, and income.

In 2023, around 1.93 million people immigrated to Germany. Numbers fluctuated during the time period covered in the graph at hand, peaking in 2015 during the high point of Europe’s refugee crisis. Significantly lower figures in 2020 may be attributed to the first year of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and subsequent restrictions implemented by the German government on entering the country, in order to control the spread of the disease. Immigration to Germany “Immigrant” is a term used from the point of view of the receiving country, or the country being migrated to by a person. While reasons for and circumstances leading to an immigrant entering a foreign country may vary, they often include love, include seeking residence, employment, family reunions, or applying for asylum. Various countries are represented among foreigners living in Germany, though currently the leading three by numbers are Turkey, Ukraine, and Syria. Around 5.2 million immigrants living in Germany do not need a residence permit due to having EU citizenship, and therefore being allowed freedom of movement based on EU law. Another 2.64 million immigrants were granted an unlimited permit to stay in Germany. The near future Germany remains a popular choice for immigrants, even in currently challenging economic and political times. Welfare benefits, healthcare, and various support initiatives for those moving to or arriving in the country are on the list of selling points, though in practice, difficulties may be encountered depending on individual situations and laws in different German federal states. While the unemployment rate among foreigners living in Germany had gone up in 2020, it dropped again in the following years, but increased once more in 2023 and 2024 to over 16 percent. The country is Europe’s largest economy, housing many global players in various industries, which continues to attract jobseekers, despite these very industries facing struggles of their own brought on both by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and geopolitical events in Europe.

In 2024, the net migration rate in France reached *******. In recent years Europe and France have seen more people arrive than depart. The net migration rate is the difference between the number of immigrants (people coming into an area) and the number of emigrants (people leaving an area) throughout the year. France's highest net migration rate was reached in 2018 when it amounted to *******. Armed conflicts and economic migration are some of the reasons for immigration in Europe. The refugee crisis Studies have shown that there were ******* immigrant arrivals in France in 2022, which has risen since 2014. The migrant crisis, which began in 2015 in Europe, had an impact on the migration entry flows not only in France but in all European countries. The number of illegal border crossings to the EU over the Eastern Mediterranean route reached a record number of ******* crossings in 2015. Immigration in France Since the middle of the 19th century, France has attracted immigrants, first from European countries (like Poland, Spain, and Italy), and then from the former French colonies. In 2023, there were approximately *** million people foreign-born in France. Most of them were living in the Ile-de-France region, which contains Paris, and in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur in the Southeastern part of the country. In 2022, the majority of immigrants arriving in France were from Africa and Europe.

In 2024, approximately 948,000 people migrated to the United Kingdom, while 517,000 people migrated from the UK, resulting in a net migration figure of 431,000. There have consistently been more people migrating to the United Kingdom than leaving it since 1993 when the net migration figure was negative 1,000. Although migration from the European Union has declined since the Brexit vote of 2016, migration from non-EU countries accelerated rapidly from 2021 onwards. In the year to June 2023, 968,000 people from non-EU countries migrated to the UK, compared with 129,000 from EU member states. Immigration and the 2024 election Since late 2022, immigration, along with the economy and healthcare, has consistently been seen by UK voters as one of the top issues facing the country. Despite a pledge to deter irregular migration via small boats, and controversial plans to send asylum applicants to Rwanda while their claims are being processed, Rishi Sunak's Conservative government lost the trust of the public on this issue. On the eve of the last election, 20 percent of Britons thought the Labour Party would be the best party to handle immigration, compared with 13 percent who thought the Conservatives would handle it better. Sunak and the Conservatives went on to lose this election, suffering their worst defeat in modern elections. Historical context of migration The first humans who arrived in the British Isles, were followed by acts of conquest and settlement from Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, and Normans. In the early modern period, there were also significant waves of migration from people fleeing religious or political persecution, such as the French Huguenots. More recently, large numbers of people also left Britain. Between 1820 and 1957, for example, around 4.5 million people migrated from Britain to America. After World War Two, immigration from Britain's colonies and former colonies was encouraged to meet labour demands. A key group that migrated from the Caribbean between the late 1940s and early 1970s became known as the Windrush generation, named after one of the ships that brought the arrivals to Britain.

From January to December 2024, around 66,000 migrants arrived in Italy by sea. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of migrants setting foot in the country peaked in 2016 at 181,000 individuals, whereas in 2019 only 11,400 people were rescued from the sea. In fact, stricter immigration policies were enacted between 2018 and 2019 by the right-wing and populist government supported by the League and the Five-Star Movement. Among the most frequent countries of origin declared upon arrivals in 2024, Bangladesh and Syria ranked in the first places. About 13,800 were Bangladeshi citizens, while around 12,500 immigrants came from Syria. Asylum seekers and minors among the migrants In 2023, the largest number of asylum applicants in Italy were from Bangladesh. In fact, 23,450 requests were recorded as of December 2023, while 18,300 applicants were from Egypt, the second most common nationality among asylum seekers. In recent years, many unaccompanied minors reached the Italian coasts. In 2024, 8,043 children migrated without their parents into the country. Contrasting opinions and distorted perceptions  According to the data published by Ipsos, a part of Italians tend to overestimate the size of the immigrated population. The results of this survey uncovered the presence of distorted perceptions in 2018: people thought that about 28 percent of the Italian population was not born in Italy, whereas the actual percentage was around ten. Furthermore, the public opinion on migration was controversial. In the same year, roughly half of the population perceived migrants as a risk for the Italian economy. On the other hand, 18 percent of Italians believed that migration could be a resource for the country.