Immigration surge to US since 2021 largest in history: Report

Dec 11

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

The surge in immigration to the U.S. since 2021 has been the largest in history, according to an analysis of government data by The New York Times. The annual net migration numbers reveal that, from 2021 to 2023, an average of 2.4 million immigrants arrived in the U.S. per year.

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Those immigration numbers surpass the immigration boom of the late 1800s and early 1900s. This figure includes both legal and illegal immigrants.

The Times reported that during the 1850s, when the U.S. Census first began collecting statistical data, the country saw a net increase of 190,000 immigrants per year, or about 0.6% of the total population.

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Between 2020 and 2023, that number exceeded 2 million migrants annually, maintaining the same percentage of about 0.6% of the U.S. population.

According to The Times, the share of the U.S. population that is foreign-born reached a new high of 15.2% in 2023. That’s up from 13.6% in 2020. The previous high was 14.8% in 1890.

The immigration surge has been driven by a variety of factors, including the Biden administration’s loosening of immigration policies, which were implemented to counter the more restrictive stance taken by President Donald Trump during his first term.

Under the Biden administration, it has become easier for asylum-seekers to cross the border. Experts said this has resulted in millions of migrants waiting years for their cases to be heard in immigration court.

According to data from TRAC (Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse) in December 2023, the immigration court backlog surpassed 3 million pending cases. The data also showed an average of 4,500 cases per immigration judge. For context, the total number of pending cases was just over half a million in 2016.

In addition to policy changes, external factors such as violence in countries like Haiti and Venezuela have forced many people to leave their homes in search of a better life.

Immigration has been one of the biggest issues for Americans during this year’s presidential election, according to exit polls. President-elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations, stricter immigration policies, and enhanced border security.

The Times said it used a combination of Census and congressional budget data and collaborated with government experts and Federal Reserve specialists to pair and analyze the immigration data.

Tags: Border, Border crossings, Border czar, Border patrol, border wall, Immigrant, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mexico, Texas, The New York Times, U.S.-Mexico Border

[Lauren]

THE IMMIGRATION SURGE INTO THE US SINCE 2021 HAS BEEN THE LARGEST IN HISTORY, ACCORDING TO ANALYSIS OF GOVERNMENT DATA BY THE NEW YORK TIMES.

THE ANNUAL NET MIGRATION NUMBERS SHOW AN AVERAGE OF 2.4 MILLION IMMIGRANTS CAME TO THE US PER YEAR FROM 2021 TO 2023, SURPASSING THE IMMIGRATION BOOM OF THE LATE 1800’S AND EARLY 1900’S.

THAT NUMBER INCLUDES LEGAL AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

THE TIMES REPORTS DURING THE 1850’S WHEN THE US CENSUS BEGAN COLLECTING STATISTICAL DATA, THE COUNTRY SAW 190,000 NET IMMIGRANTS PER YEAR – ABOUT 0.6% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.

BETWEEN 2020 AND 2023, THAT NUMBER EXCEEDS 2 MILLION MIGRANTS PER YEAR – AGAIN, ABOUT 0.6% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.

ACCORDING TO THE TIMES, THE SHARE OF THE U-S POPULATION THAT IS FOREIGN-BORN REACHED A NEW HIGH 15.2% IN 2023, UP FROM 13.6% IN 2020. THE PREVIOUS HIGH WAS 14.8% IN 1890.

THE IMMIGRATION SURGE WAS CAUSED BY A NUMBER OF FACTORS – INCLUDING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S LOOSENED IMMIGRATION POLICIES, MEANT TO COUNTER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MORE STRICT IMMIGRATION STANCE DURING HIS FIRST TERM.

UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, IT’S BEEN EASIER FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS TO CROSS THE BORDER. MILLIONS OF MIGRANTS ARE NOW WAITING YEARS FOR THEIR CASES TO BE HEARD IN IMMIGRATION COURT.

ACCORDING TO DATA BY ‘TRAC’ IN DECEMBER 2023, THE IMMIGRATION COURT BACKLOG PASSED 3 MILLION PENDING CASES WITH AN AVERAGE OF 4,500 CASES PER IMMIGRATION JUDGE. FOR CONTEXT THE NUMBER OF TOTAL PENDING CASES WAS JUST OVER HALF A MILLION IN 2016.

THERE’VE ALSO BEEN OUTSIDE CAUSES SUCH AS VIOLENCE PLAGUING COUNTRIES LIKE HAITI AND VENEZUELA FORCING PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, SEEKING A BETTER LIFE.

IMMIGRATION WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FOR AMERICANS DURING THIS YEAR’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ACCORDING TO EXIT POLLS.

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP HAS PROMISED MASS DEPORTATIONS, STRICTER IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND BORDER ENHANCEMENT.

THE TIMES SAYS IT USED A COMBINATION OF CENSUS AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET DATA AND WORKED WITH GOVERNMENT EXPERTS AND FEDERAL RESERVE SPECIALISTS TO PAIR THE DATA SETS AND ANALYZE THE IMMIGRATION DATA.