Over the past two-hundred and fifty years, the U.S. absorbed more that one hundred million people from abroad. According to the New the York Times, people born abroad make up a higher proportion of the country’s population than ever before. Concerning the make-up of the immigrant population of the U.S., government policy plays a deciding role.
Important Points
The Times complied information on the origins and backgrounds of the U.S.’ past and present populations based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. What they found wasn’t surprising. The U.S. has a long history of immigration. While the U.S. always saw a steady stream of incoming immigrants, the primary sources differed over time. For example:
- Europeans in the immigrant population fell by seventy percent between 1940 and 2024.
- Immigration from Asia and across the America, while always present, saw a forty percent increase between 1960 and 2024.
- Since 1980, immigrants from other countries in the Americas (excluding Canada) made up the largest proportion of the immigrant population.
- Most immigration from the Middle East and North African happened after 1970.
- Employment and family-ties made up the main vector of immigration since 1965. This system remains in place today.
Impact of Policies
U.S. government policies always impacted immigration trends. For example, U.S. immigration operated on a quota system between 1920 and 1965. This period saw the lowest immigrant population in the country’s history. Over the past eighteen months, the U.S. government adopted increasingly strict immigration enforcement policies. According to the New York Times, these policies might cause a net negative in immigration. Additionally, these policies jump-started a population decline that wasn’t expected for the U.S. until the late twenty-first century.
As always, Immigration USA actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, we’re with you every step of the way.