The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) released a new report that reveals that the immigrant population has reached a record high of 42.4 million immigrants (legal and illegal). The report uses Census Bureau data to show the impact this increase has had on the U.S.
The key findings of the report are:
Population Size and Growth
- The nation's 42.4 million immigrants (legal and illegal) in 2014 is the highest number ever in American history. The 13.3% of the nation's population comprised of immigrants in 2014 is the highest percentage in 94 years.
- Between 2000 and 2014, 18.7 million new immigrants (legal and illegal) settled in the United States. Despite the Great Recession beginning at the end of 2007, and the weak recovery that followed, 7.9 million new immigrants settled in the United States from the beginning of 2008 to mid-2014.
- From 2010 to 2014, new immigration (legal and illegal) plus births to immigrants added 8.3 million residents to the country, equal to 87% of total U.S. population growth.
Labor and Employment
- Immigrant men have higher rates of work than native-born men — 82% vs. 73%. However, immigrant women have lower rates of work than native-born women — 57% vs. 66%.
- A large share of immigrants have low levels of formal education. Of adult immigrants (ages 25 to 65), 28% have not completed high school, compared to 8% of natives.
- In 2014, occupations thought to be mostly comprised of immigrants showed that the majority of workers were actually native born, only 49% of maids, 47% of taxi drivers and chauffeurs, 33% of butchers and meat processors, and 35% of construction laborers were foreign-born.
- In 2000, 66% of natives under age 30 with no education beyond high school were working; in 2015 it was 53%.
Socioeconomic Status
- In 2014, 21% of immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) lived in poverty, compared to 13% of natives and their children. Immigrants and their children account for about one-fourth of all persons in poverty.
- In 2014, 18 % of immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) lacked health insurance, compared to 9% of natives and their children.
- In 2014, 42% of immigrant-headed households used at least one welfare program (primarily food assistance and Medicaid), compared to 27%for natives.
- The lower socio-economic status of immigrants is not due to their being mostly recent arrivals. The average immigrant in 2014 had lived in the United States for almost 21 years.
Immigrant Progress Over Time
- Immigrants make significant progress the longer they live in the country. However, even immigrants who have lived in the United States for 20 years have not come close to closing the gap with natives.
- The poverty rate of adult immigrants who have lived in the United States for 20 years is 57% higher than for adult natives.
- The share of households headed by an immigrant who has lived in the United States for 20 years using at least one welfare program is 80% higher than native households.
- The share of households headed by an immigrant who has lived in the United States for 20 years that are owner occupied is 24% lower than that of native households.
Impact on Public Schools
- There are 64 public school students per 100 immigrant households, compared to 38 for native households. Because immigrant households tend to be poorer, immigration often increases school enrollment without a corresponding increase in the local tax base.
- In addition to increasing enrollment, immigration often creates significant challenges for schools by adding to the number of students with special needs. In 2014, 75%of students who spoke a language other than English were from immigrant households, as are 31% of all public school students in poverty.
Entrepreneurship
- Immigrants and natives have very similar rates of entrepreneurship — 12.4% of immigrants are self-employed either full- or part-time, as are 12.8% of natives.
- Most of the businesses operated by immigrants and natives tend to be small. In 2015, only 16% of immigrant-owned businesses had more than 10 employees, as did 19% of native-owned businesses.
Read the full CIS report here.
