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 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.

The estimated population of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. stands at around 11 million people. Although the number has stabilized, the United States has seen a spike in migrant encounters in the last few years, with over two million cases registered by the U.S. Border Patrol in 2023. This is a slight decrease from the previous year, when there were over 2.2 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 2019, California had the highest population of unauthorized immigrants, at around 2.74 million. The overall figure for the United States was estimated to be around 11.05 million unauthorized immigrants.

In 2022, the greatest number of illegal aliens returned in the United States were from the Philippines, with 39,891 illegal aliens returned. India, Canada, China, and Russia rounded out the top five in that year.

In 2022, about 2.58 million illegal aliens were apprehended in the United States. This was a significant increase from the previous year, when there were around 1.87 million illegal aliens apprehended nationwide. Apprehensions refer to Border Patrol apprehensions and ICE administrative arrests.

This statistic shows the estimated percentage of employed undocumented immigrants in the United States in 2016, distinguished by industry. In 2017, around 14.2 percent of agriculture workers were estimated to be undocumented immigrants.

In 2022, the greatest number of illegal aliens apprehended in the United States were from Mexico, with 836,844 illegal aliens apprehended. Guatemala, Cuba, Honduras, and Venezuela rounded out the top five in that year.

This statistic shows the top ten metropolitan areas in the United States with highest unauthorized immigrant populations in 2014. With over one million unauthorized people, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA had the highest illegal immigrant population in the United States in 2014.

The statistic shows the number of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. from 2000 to 2012, as estimated by the Department of Homeland Security. As of 2012, about 11.4 million illegal immigrants were living in the United States.

As of January 2022, it was estimated that about 4.81 million illegal immigrants from Mexico were living in the United States. It was also estimated that 750,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala were living in the United States.

This statistic shows the estimated GDP loss if all illegal immigrant workers were removed from the United States. As of September 2016, the manufacturing industry would suffer an estimated 74 billion U.S. dollar decline in GDP output if all illegal immigrant workers were removed from the U.S.

In the United States, around 97,391 illegal persons from Asia were returned in 2021, the highest of any region of origin. Illegal persons coming from elsewhere in North America made up the second highest with 52,562 returns.

According to a survey conducted early in 2025, the vast majority of Americans agreed that all immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who have been convicted of a violent crime should be deported. Only six percent opposed. However, only 37 percent of respondents were in favor of deporting all immigrants in the U.S. illegally who have not been convicted of a crime.

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 86 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 38 percent for Republicans who believe the majority of immigrants are undocumented.

It was estimated that, in 2015, around 75 percent of immigrants in the United States were living in the country legally.

Mexican deportations from the United States have fluctuated significantly over the past decade and a half, with the highest numbers occurring during Barack Obama's first term. From 2009 to 2012, nearly 1.85 million Mexicans were deported, a figure that has since declined under subsequent administrations. The Biden administration has seen 824,018 Mexican nationals deported between 2021 and 2024, marking a slight increase from the Trump years. Recent trends in deportations While deportations saw a sharp decline during the pandemic years, they have since rebounded. In 2024 alone, 87,300 Mexicans were deported from the United States, indicating a renewed focus on immigration enforcement. This uptick in deportations comes amid a broader increase in unauthorized immigration, with an estimated 10.99 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2022, up from about 3.5 million in 1990. Refugees in Mexico The complexities of migration in the Americas extend beyond U.S.-Mexico dynamics. Mexico itself has become a significant host country for refugees, with approximately 124,784 refugees residing there in 2023. This represents a substantial increase from the previous year, driven largely by Venezuelan, Haitian, and Central American migrants. Honduras remains the primary country of origin for refugees in Mexico, with over 9,000 Hondurans granted refugee status in 2023, followed by Venezuela with 1,602 citizens.

This statistic illustrates the number of undocumented migrant arrivals in the United States in 2016, by method of arrival. In that year, 320,000 migrants entered the U.S. by overstaying their visa.

This statistic shows the estimated number of illegal immigrants in the United States labor force from 2000 to 2014. In 2014, an estimated 8 million illegal immigrants participated in the U.S. labor force.

As of 2023, 27.3 percent of California's population were born in a country other than the United States. New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Nevada rounded out the top five states with the largest population of foreign born residents in that year. For the country as a whole, 14.3 percent of residents were foreign born.

Significantly more men were apprehended by the United States Border Patrol than women in the the fiscal year of 2020. Nationwide, 329,347 men were apprehended by Border Patrol in that year, compared to 75,678 women who were apprehended.