Immigration Trends in the United States: Transcript Notes

Page 1

• Overview of U.S. immigration landscape

  • The United States is the top destination in the world for people moving across borders.
  • Since 1965, more than $70 \text{ million}$ immigrants have arrived in the U.S. (Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data).
  • From a single-country-origin perspective, $18 \text{ million}$ immigrants have come from Mexico, the largest wave from one country.
  • In 2022, the immigrant population living in the U.S. reached a high of $46.1 \text{ million}$, accounting for $13.8\%$ of the population. This total includes both legal and unauthorized immigrants.
  • Immigrants in the U.S. trace roots to virtually all countries; the largest origins are Mexico ($10.6 \text{ million}$) and India ($2.8 \text{ million}$).
  • This pattern contrasts with a century ago: in 1920, the largest immigrant populations were from Germany and Italy.

• Immigrant populations by state: geographic variation

  • The share of immigrants varies widely by state—from $2\%$ in West Virginia to $27\%$ in California.
  • In 2022, Mexican immigrants were the largest group in $29$ states, while Indian immigrants were the largest group in $6$ states.
  • Over the past century, origins of immigrants living in each state have changed dramatically.
  • In 1920, the largest immigrant groups in 29 states were born in Germany, Italy, or Canada.
  • Only six states had the same largest origin group in 2022 as in 1920: Arizona, New Mexico and Texas (all from Mexico) and Maine, Montana and Vermont (from Canada).

• Why has the immigrant population changed over the years? Key factors

  • A more equitable U.S. immigration law: The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act opened up legal immigration from Asia and Latin America, replacing a system that favored Northern and Western Europe and largely barred Asia.
  • Unauthorized immigration: Beginning in the 1970s, unauthorized immigration grew, contributing to higher total immigrant numbers.
  • Legal status retroactivity: Many who arrived before 1982 gained legal status after the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA).
  • Ongoing unauthorized arrivals: Unauthorized immigration continued in large numbers even after IRCA.
  • Further legal flexibility: A 1990 revision to the 1965 act allowed more legal entrants and created alternative pathways, increasing diversity of origins.

• Connections to policy, labor markets, and social dynamics

  • Policy shifts (1965 Act, IRCA, 1990 adjustments) directly shaped who could enter legally and how communities settled.
  • Growth in unauthorized migration affected state demographics and resource needs (education, housing, social services).
  • Shifts in origin groups influence language needs, cultural integration, and transnational ties (remittances, return migration).

• Implications and takeaways

  • The U.S. immigration mosaic is dynamic: policy, economy, and global events continually reshape origin shares and settlement patterns.
  • Regional concentrations reflect historical waves and current labor-market needs (e.g., California as a high-immigrant state).
  • The data highlight the importance of distinguishing between legal and unauthorized populations when discussing policy impacts.

Page 2

• 1840-1889: early large wave and geographic patterns

  • The first large wave of immigration to the U.S. began in the 1840s and lasted until 1889, with more than $14 \text{ million}$ immigrants.
  • Most arrivals came from Northern or Western Europe; Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom alone accounted for $70\%$ of new arrivals.
  • From 1850 to 1880, Germany and Ireland were the largest immigrant origin countries in most states/territories.
  • In 1860, Ireland was the largest origin country in $22\,$ of the nation’s $39$ states/territories.
  • By 1880, Germany was the largest origin country in $16$ states/territories.
  • Chinese immigrants were the largest group in California, Nevada, Oregon, and the Idaho and Washington territories.
  • Mexicans were the largest group in Texas and the New Mexico and Arizona territories.

• 1890-1919: mass immigration from Eastern and Southern Europe

  • The next wave (1890-1919) brought more than $18 \text{ million}$ immigrants.
  • By this period, over $60\%$ came from Eastern and Southern Europe, with large numbers from Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Poland.

• 1920-1964: restrictive era and evolving state patterns

  • Immigration fell dramatically in the interwar period (1919-1939), shaping the postwar regional dynamics.
  • In 1920, German immigrants were the largest group in $11$ states, down from $18$ in 1910.
  • Italians and Russians became the largest groups in a growing number of states over time.
  • Peak patterns: Italians were the largest group in $10$ states in both 1940 and 1960; Russians were the largest in $7$ states in 1920 and 1950.
  • By 1960, the largest immigrant groups in most states were from Germany ($17$ states), Italy ($10$), and Canada ($10$).

• 1965-2007: post-1965 wave with broader origins

  • A new wave began in 1965, with most immigrants coming from Latin America ($49\%$) or Asia ($27\%$).
  • Mexico alone accounted for about $25\%$ of these new immigrants.
  • Large numbers also came from China, India, the Philippines, Central America, and the Caribbean.

• Thematic implications

  • The era from 1965-2007 marks a decisive shift toward a more diverse set of origin countries, particularly increasing shares from Asia and Latin America.
  • Regional and state-level immigration profiles reflect these broader global movements and evolving U.S. visa policies.

Page 3

• Post-1990 unauthorized immigration: rapid growth and its consequences

  • After 1990, the number of unauthorized immigrants grew quickly—from about $3.5 \text{ million}$ to $12.2 \text{ million}$ in 2007.
  • Most unauthorized immigrants in this period came from Mexico, which was also the largest source of legal immigrants.
  • These flows contributed to major changes in states’ immigrant populations.

• Shifts in state dominance of origin groups (1980-2000)

  • In 1980, Mexican immigrants were the largest group in $10$ states, trailing German immigrants ($19$ states) and Canadian immigrants ($11$ states).
  • By 2000, Mexican immigrants were the largest group in $31$ states, and Germans were no longer the largest immigrant group in any state.
  • Other origin groups were the largest in $11$ states (e.g., Cubans, El Salvadorans, Dominicans, Vietnamese, Filipinos, and Indians).

• 2008 to the present: the Great Recession and after

  • The onset of the Great Recession altered immigration patterns, with Mexican immigration slowing significantly after 2007.
  • Mexico remained the largest source of U.S. immigrants, but its share fell from $29\%$ in 2010 to $23\%$ in 2022.
  • Immigration from Asia rose rapidly during the 2010s, and in that decade there were more new arrivals from Asia than from Latin America.

• Unauthorized immigrant population trends (recent years)

  • The unauthorized population declined from $12.2 \text{ million}$ in 2007 to about $10.2 \text{ million}$ in 2019.
  • Since 2019, the unauthorized population has grown again, reaching $11.0 \text{ million}$ in 2022.

• 2022 snapshot and notable firsts

  • Mexico remained the largest country of birth for immigrants in $29$ states in 2022.
  • India was the largest country of birth in $six$ states.
  • For the first time, the following origin groups made up the largest immigrant population in a state or district:
  • Ethiopians in the District of Columbia
  • Guatemalans in South Dakota
  • Hondurans in Louisiana
  • …(other groups not listed in the provided transcript)

• Connections to broader implications

  • Shifts in origin groups affect language needs, education policies, and social services planning at the state level.
  • The rise of unauthorized migration in certain periods raises policy questions about border security, enforcement, and pathways to legal status.
  • The Asian share’s rise in the 2010s points to changing economic ties and labor-market needs in the U.S.

• Summary takeaways

  • U.S. immigration history since 1965 is characterized by increasing diversity of origin countries and growing state-level heterogeneity.
  • Economic cycles (e.g., Great Recession) and policy changes have immediate effects on the size and composition of immigrant populations.
  • The current landscape features a substantial share of unauthorized migrants, shifting regional concentrations, and emerging first-time largest-origin states for certain groups.