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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In the fiscal year of 2020, the United States Border Patrol apprehended 400,651 people trying to cross the Southwest border. This was a significant decrease from the previous year, when there were 851,508 apprehensions by Border Patrol at the Southwest border. This decrease is likely due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

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.

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.

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.

In 2023, almost 90 percent of migrants who arrived illegally through Spain's southern border were male adults. Undocumented arrivals of minors accounted for approximately five percent of all cases, whereas women accounted another five percent of the total number of irregular immigrants.

According to a survey conducted in 2024, 41 percent of Americans believed that housing shortages are being caused by illegal immigrants in the United States. In comparison, 48 percent of white Americans, 35 percent of Hispanic Americans, and 21 percent of Black Americans shared this belief.

This statistic shows the public opinion in the United States on whether undocumented immigrants were more likely to commit crimes than American citizens, as of 2018. As of 2018, 69 percent of respondents thought that undocumented immigrants were not more likely to commit crimes than American citizens.