link to page 1 link to page 1 
Updated July 18, 2022
Citizenship and Immigration Statuses of the U.S. Foreign-Born
Population
The U.S. foreign-born population consists of individuals
unauthorized immigrants who have entered the United
living in the United States who were not U.S. citizens at
States without inspection or have overstayed their period of
birth. In 2020—the most recent data from the American
lawful admission, including those who hold a temporary,
Community Survey (ACS)—an estimated 44.1 million
discretionary status such as Deferred Action for Childhood
foreign-born people resided in the United States,
Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
representing 13.5% of the total U.S. population. The ACS is
a U.S. Census Bureau survey conducted each month with a
Resident Nonimmigrants
sample of households in 50 U.S. states, the District of
Nonimmigrant visas are issued to foreign nationals for
Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
specific purposes and on temporary bases. Typically, the
The proportion of foreign-born individuals among the total
Department of State (DOS) has issued 9 million to 10
U.S. population has changed over time. The percentage of
million nonimmigrant visas annually. Nonimmigrant visa
foreign-born persons in 1920 (13.2%) was similar to current
issuances were substantially lower in FY2020 (4 million)
levels. It then declined over the next five decades, reaching
and FY2021 (2.8 million) due to COVID-19-related
a low of 4.7% in 1970. Over the last five decades, the
closures at U.S. embassies and consulates, the temporary
proportion has increased (Figure 1).
suspension of entry for some categories of nonimmigrants
during those years, and travel disruptions.
Figure 1. U.S. Foreign-Born: Total and Percentage of
The majority of nonimmigrant visas issued are in categories
Total Population, 1920-2020
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).
LPRs
DHS estimates that 13.1 million LPRs lived in the United
States in 2021. Typically, approximately 1 million people
Source: 1920-2000: Campbel Gibson and Kay Jung, “Historical
become LPRs each fiscal year. In FY2020, LPR admissions
Census Statistics on the Foreign-Born Population of the United
were relatively low (707,362)—again, likely as a result of
States: 1850 to 2000,” U.S. Census Bureau Population Division, 2006.
the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, 38% of individuals
2010 and 2020: ACS, Table B05001, at http://data.census.gov.
who became LPRs were new arrivals to the United States;
the other 62% adjusted to LPR status from a nonimmigrant
The foreign-born are heterogeneous with regard to citizenship
status within the United States.
and immigration status. They include the following:
The largest number of LPRs are admitted through family-
resident nonimmigrants, who are a subset of
sponsored categories, followed by employment-based
nonimmigrant (temporary) visa holders admitted for a
categories, grants of refugee status and asylum, and the
limited period of time and specified purpose whose
diversity visa (DV) program (Figure 2).
classes of admission are associated with U.S. residency,
including temporary workers, students, exchange
Figure 2. LPRs by Category of Admission, FY2020
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
Source: Department of Homeland Security, 2020 Yearbook of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (Title 8 of the U.S.
Immigration Statistics, Table 6.
Code); and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
link to page 2 
Citizenship and Immigration Statuses of the U.S. Foreign-Born Population
Note: Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding
Bureau surveys like the ACS measure whether an
individual is foreign-born and whether they are a U.S.
Statutory caps limit the annual number of individuals who
citizen but most do not collect information on immigration
can be granted LPR status through the DV program
status. However, federal agencies and nongovernmental
(55,000), employment-based system (140,000), and family-
researchers have long produced estimates of the
sponsored system (480,000). The latter includes
unauthorized population, drawing on survey data and
numerically limited (226,000) preference immigrants and
various methodologies.
numerically unlimited immediate relatives of U.S. citizens.
Therefore, the number of persons who acquire LPR status
Recent analyses from DHS and the Congressional Budget
through the family-sponsored system may, and regularly
Office, along with nongovernmental research institutes,
does, exceed its annual permeable limit. LPRs from any
including the Center for Migration Studies and Migration
single country cannot exceed 7% of the total annual limit of
Policy Institute, estimate that there were 10.3 million to
numerically limited family-sponsored and employment-
11.4 million unauthorized individuals living in the United
based preference immigrants.
States in 2018 and 2019. Based on these estimates, the
unauthorized population represents about 23% to 26% of all
DHS estimates that 9.2 million LPRs were eligible to
foreign-born individuals living in the United States.
naturalize, or become U.S. citizens, in FY2021 based on
meeting the residence (typically five years in LPR status)
There is generally consensus among researchers that the
and other requirements for application.
unauthorized population grew during the 1980s, 1990s, and
Naturalized Citizens
early 2000s until it reached a peak of approximately 12
million around 2007. The unauthorized population then
LPRs who meet certain U.S. residence and other legal
declined following the Great Recession. Some researchers
requirements may apply to naturalize and become U.S.
estimate the unauthorized population has declined further in
citizens. Approximately 22.5 million foreign-born
recent years while others estimate that the population has
individuals in the United States are naturalized citizens,
plateaued.
representing about half (51%) of the foreign-born
Some programs allow certain foreign nationals to remain in
population in 2020. In FY2021, 855,000 individuals
the United States regardless of whether they were legally
naturalized.
admitted, but they do not provide pathways to LPR status.
The proportion of naturalized citizens relative to the total
Individuals covered by these programs are generally
foreign-born population peaked in 1950 (74.5%) and then
included in unauthorized population estimates. They
declined, reaching its lowest point (40.3%) in 2000, before
include individuals granted TPS (354,625 as of February
increasing again to just over half of all foreign-born
2022, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
individuals in 2020 (Figure 3).
Services [USCIS]), which is a blanket form of humanitarian
relief; and DACA (611,470 as of December 31, 2021,
Figure 3. Naturalized Foreign-Born as a Proportion of
according to USCIS), which is granted to certain eligible
the Total Foreign-Born
persons brought to the United States as children, among
others.
Researchers find that government surveys tend to
undercount the foreign-born population, particularly the
unauthorized, compared with the native-born population.
Because of these undercounts, the sum of the subgroups
enumerated in each section of this In Focus exceeds the
total foreign-born population as measured by the ACS (44.1
million).
Additional Sources of Information
CRS Report R42866, Permanent Legal Immigration to
the United States: Policy Overview
Source: 1900-2000: Campbel Gibson and Kay Jung, “Historical
CRS Report R45040, Immigration: Nonimmigrant
Census Statistics on the Foreign-Born Population of the United
(Temporary) Admissions to the United States
States: 1850 to 2000,” U.S. Census Bureau Population Division,
February 2006. 2010 and 2020: ACS data, Table B05001, at
CRS Report R43366, U.S. Naturalization Policy
http://data.census.gov.
CRS Report RS20844, Temporary Protected Status and
Note: The 1960 Decennial Census did not ask respondents about
Deferred Enforced Departure
their citizenship status.
CRS Report R45995, Unauthorized Childhood Arrivals,
Unauthorized Population
DACA, and Related Legislation
The unauthorized population is challenging to measure.
Holly Straut-Eppsteiner, Analyst in Immigration Policy
There are no official counts of unauthorized immigrants
living in the United States in administrative data. Census
IF11806
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Citizenship and Immigration Statuses of the U.S. Foreign-Born Population
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11806 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED