The number of illegal migrants in the U.S. reached 12 million in 2023 after two years of record growth under President Joe Biden, according to a new Pew Research Center estimate.
The vast majority of illegal migrants either entered the U.S. illegally or overstayed a visa, the Pew Research Center said.
The Pew analysis used the term "unauthorized immigrant" to also include people who after entering the U.S. legally remained in the country with "impermanent, precarious statuses."
Roughly 2 million migrants entered the U.S. legally and were paroled or released into the country under programs such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected Status, or asylum are only available to immigrants already in the U.S.
The increase of 3.5 million migrants in two years is the largest on record, according to Pew.
Under the Biden administration, the number of migrants living in the U.S. with some protections from deportation – e.g. migrants paroled into the country, asylum seekers – grew.
About 6 million immigrants without full legal status had some protection from deportation in 2023, up from 2.7 million in 2021.
The migrant crisis developed after Biden ended some of President Donald Trump's pre-pandemic immigration restrictions, such as "Remain in Mexico."
Several groups of illegal migrants had some protections from deportation in July 2023:
- 2.6 million asylum applicants
- 700,000 who entered the U.S. legally after receiving parole
- 700,00 victims of crimes or violence
- 650,000 with TPS, which is available to migrants in the U.S. from countries facing war, natural disasters, or other crises
- 600,000 enrollees in DACA, which is available to those who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Aug. 15 said approximately 1.6 million people without legal immigration status have left the U.S. since the start of the Trump administration.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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