About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline



1 [1] (July 18, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/goveign0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research fServi
informing the legisi itive debate since 1914

Updated July 18, 2022
Citizenship and Immigration Statuses of the U.S. Foreign-Born
Population

The U.S. foreign-born population consists of individuals
living in the United States who were not U.S. citizens at
birth. In 2020-the most recent data from the American
Community Survey (ACS)-an estimated 44.1 million
foreign-born people resided in the United States,
representing 13.5% of the total U.S. population. The ACS is
a U.S. Census Bureau survey conducted each month with a
sample of households in 50 U.S. states, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
The proportion of foreign-born individuals among the total
U.S. population has changed over time. The percentage of
foreign-born persons in 1920 (13.2%) was similar to current
levels. It then declined over the next five decades, reaching
a low of 4.7% in 1970. Over the last five decades, the
proportion has increased (Figure 1).
Figure 1. U.S. Foreign-Born: Total and Percentage of
Total Population, 1920-2020
Total Foreign Born              0 % Foreign-Born
5Gm                                           16%
30m
L                     3%
2Gm
10m
rn,                                      _   0%
Source: 1920-2000: Campbell Gibson and Kay Jung, Historical
Census Statistics on the Foreign-Born Population of the United
States: 1850 to 2000, U.S. Census Bureau Population Division, 2006.
2010 and 2020: ACS, Table B05001, at http://data.census.gov.
The foreign-born are heterogeneous with regard to citizenship
and immigration status. They include the following:
* resident nonimmigrants, who are a subset of
nonimmigrant (temporary) visa holders admitted for a
limited period of time and specified purpose whose
classes of admission are associated with U.S. residency,
including temporary workers, students, exchange
visitors, and diplomats;
* lawful permanent residents (LPRs, or green card
holders), who can reside and work lawfully and
permanently in the United States;
* naturalized U.S. citizens, who acquired U.S.
citizenship generally after fulfilling residency and other
requirements established by Congress and outlined in
the Immigration and Nationality Act (Title 8 of the U.S.
Code); and

* unauthorized immigrants who have entered the United
States without inspection or have overstayed their period of
lawful admission, including those who hold a temporary,
discretionary status such as Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Resident Non immigrants
Nonimmigrant visas are issued to foreign nationals for
specific purposes and on temporary bases. Typically, the
Department of State (DOS) has issued 9 million to 10
million nonimmigrant visas annually. Nonimmigrant visa
issuances were substantially lower in FY2020 (4 million)
and FY2021 (2.8 million) due to COVID-19-related
closures at U.S. embassies and consulates, the temporary
suspension of entry for some categories of nonimmigrants
during those years, and travel disruptions.
The majority of nonimmigrant visas issued are in categories
related to nonresidential purposes (e.g., tourists). However,
some nonimmigrants are admitted for purposes associated
with U.S. residence. Approximately 3.2 million
nonimmigrant workers, students, exchange visitors,
diplomats, and their relatives were residing in the United
States in 2019, according to the most recent Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) estimate. Temporary workers
represented the largest category of nonimmigrant residents
(1.4 million).
LP Rs
DHS estimates that 13.1 million LPRs lived in the United
States in 2021. Typically, approximately 1 million people
become LPRs each fiscal year. In FY2020, LPR admissions
were relatively low (707,362)-again, likely as a result of
the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, 38% of individuals
who became LPRs were new arrivals to the United States;
the other 62% adjusted to LPR status from a nonimmigrant
status within the United States.
The largest number of LPRs are admitted through family-
sponsored categories, followed by employment-based
categories, grants of refugee status and asylum, and the
diversity visa (DV) program (Figure 2).
Figure 2. LPRs by Category of Admission, FY2020
Employment- Refugees &
Based, 21  Asylees,
D y'
Other 4%
Source: Department of Homeland Security, 2020 Yearbook of
Immigration Statistics, Table 6.