USA
In a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Centre, it has been revealed that the United States is grappling with a significant influx of unauthorized immigrants, with an estimated 725,000 individuals hailing from India. This staggering figure positions India as the third-largest contributor to the unauthorized immigrant population in the US, trailing behind Mexico and El Salvador.
As of 2021, the Pew Research Centre reported that the total number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States reached 10.5 million, constituting approximately 3% of the entire US population and a notable 22% of the foreign-born population. This information underscores the scale of the issue and its impact on the demographic landscape.
Analysts at the Washington-based think tank highlighted that the surge in unauthorized immigrants spans across various regions globally. From 2007 to 2021, there was a notable increase, with Central America contributing 240,000 individuals and South and East Asia contributing 180,000 to this growing demographic.
While the report indicated a decrease in the number of unauthorized immigrants from Mexico – standing at 4.1 million in 2021, the lowest since the 1990s – there was a concerning uptick from El Salvador (800,000) and India (725,000). Notably, countries such as India, Brazil, Canada, and former Soviet Union nations all experienced growth in their unauthorized immigrant populations from 2017 to 2021.
The report highlighted the six states with the largest unauthorized immigrant populations in 2021: California (1.9 million), Texas (1.6 million), Florida (900,000), New York (600,000), New Jersey (450,000), and Illinois (400,000). These figures underscore the regional disparities in the distribution of unauthorized immigrants.
In 2021, the overall population of unauthorized immigrants from various countries reached 6.4 million, marking a significant increase of 900,000 since 2017. Countries such as Guatemala (700,000) and Honduras (525,000) also contributed substantially to this demographic shift.
The Pew Research Centre’s comprehensive study emphasized that India, Guatemala, and Honduras witnessed an increase in their unauthorized immigrant populations from 2017, collectively contributing to the overall surge, which reached 10.5 million in 2021.
Moreover, the report highlighted that while the unauthorized immigrant population increased, the lawful immigrant population also experienced substantial growth. With more than 8 million lawful immigrants added, marking a 29% increase, the number of naturalized US citizens also surged by 49% in 2021. Naturalized citizens now constitute 49% of the total immigrant population in the country, according to the report.
This Pew Research Centre analysis sheds light on the complex dynamics of immigration in the United States, raising important questions about policy, integration, and the socio-economic impact of these demographic shifts.
