A Profile of Houston’s Diverse Immigrant Population in a Rapidly Changing Policy Landscape

The highly diverse and rapidly growing Houston metropolitan area is home to 1.6 million immigrants, ranging from high-skilled professionals to working-class families and international students. In 2017, for the first time, the region was home to more Latino than non-Hispanic White residents, alongside substantial Asian and African populations. Mexico remains the top origin country for immigrants in Houston, but other foreign-born populations, including from Venezuela, Cuba, and Nigeria, have grown much more quickly in recent years.

Underpinning this growth is the economic strength of the area. Immigrants make up approximately one-third of workers in Greater Houston, and after Hurricane Harvey damaged large swaths in 2017, workers in the immigrant-dense construction industry have been in particular demand. Indeed more than half of workers in the local construction section are foreign born.

This dynamic area provides an interesting window into how national immigration policy changes enacted by the Trump administration are being felt at the local level. Using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and other data sources, this report examines three groups of particular interest given recent policy changes: DACA beneficiaries, recipients of Temporary Protected Status, and asylum seekers.