E.g., 06/03/2024
E.g., 06/03/2024
Country Resource - United States

United States

US
  • Population..........................................................................339,665,118 (2023 est.)
  • Population growth rate ..................................................................0.68% (2023 est.)
  • Birth rate.....................................................12.21 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
  • Death rate....................................................8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
  • Net migration rate.....................................3.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
  • Ethnic groups*............................White 61.6%, Black or African American 12.4%, Asian 6%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1.1%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.2%, other 8.4%, two or more races 10.2% (2020 est.)

Note: The U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 census results show the US population as 331,449,281 as of 1 April 2020

* A separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the U.S. Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the United States who may be of any race or ethnic group (White, Black, Asian, etc.); an estimated 18.7% of the total U.S. population is Hispanic as of 2020

Source: CIA World Factbook

A Dutch family at Ellis Island between 1915 and 1920.

As host to more immigrants than any other country, the United States has been shaped and reshaped by immigration over the centuries, with the issue at times becoming a flashpoint. This article covers the history of U.S. immigration and the major laws governing immigration, and provides a comprehensive overview of the present-day immigrant population.

Recent Activity

9/11 Commission Report Links Security, Immigration Policy... Kerry Outlines Ideas on Immigration Reform... Hmong Refugees Resettled to the United States... U.S. and Mexico Sign Pact on Social Security... State Department Halts Mail Renewal of Visas...

Michael Jones-Correa of Cornell University looks beneath labels such as "ethnic politics" and "transnationalism" to shed light on U.S. immigrant politics.

Subsidiary of Offshore Firm Wins $10 Billion DHS Contract... Government Moves to Cut Backlog of Immigration Benefits Applications... Government Sources Point to Border Security Flaws... Congress May Delay Biometric Passports Plan...

This Spotlight examines the educational attainment of the five largest immigrant groups in the United States, including those from Mexico, the Philippines, India, China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan), and Vietnam. According to the results of Census 2000, 62 percent of all foreign born in the United States have at least a high school education. Other measures of educational attainment, such as college or graduate degrees, vary widely by country of origin. The data presented in this Spotlight were derived from the U.S. Census 2000 1 Percent Public Use Micro-Sample (PUMS) file.

Many news reports and commentators in the United States link immigration, especially when unauthorized, to negative economic effects, cultural fragmentation, and issues of national security. As a result of these perceived negative consequences, resistance to immigration, especially unauthorized immigration, appears to have increased. Others stress the benefits to this country of continuing immigration.

MPI's Maia Jachimowicz outlines the newly proposed immigration reform legislation: Safe, Orderly, Legal Visas and Enforcement Act of 2004 (SOLVE).
MPI Associate Policy Analyst Erin Patrick provides the latest figures on the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which is still operating well below traditional levels long after being thrown into crisis by the Sept. 11 attacks.
DHS Releases New Rules for Immigration Detainees... Changes Proposed for Visa-Waiver Countries... Supreme Court Hears Cases on Citizen and Non-Citizen Terrorism Suspects... Government Commission Calls Post-Sept. 11 Immigration Policies Ineffective...

MPI's Sarah Margon outlines the latest developments affecting U.S. migration policy, including the application of the US-VISIT program to nationals of visa-waiver countries.

Wayne Cornelius of the University of California at San Diego assesses the U.S. strategy for the border with Mexico.

Pages