Foreign-born population – 2024 | 14.9% of the population | Main countries of birth: |
51.2 million, 51% women | Evolution since 2014: +21% | Mexico (24%), India (7%), China (4%) |
International Migration Outlook 2025
In 2024, the United States received 1 425 000 new immigrants on a long-term or permanent basis (including changes of status), 20% more than in 2023. This figure comprises 6% labour migrants, 68% family members (including accompanying family) and 17% humanitarian migrants. Around 390 000 permits were issued to tertiary-level international students and 841 900 to temporary and seasonal labour migrants.
Mexico, Cuba and India were the top three nationalities of newcomers in 2023. Among the top 15 countries of origin, Cuba registered the strongest increase (57 000) and India the largest decrease (‑56 000) in flows to United States compared to the previous year.
The estimated number of first asylum applicants increased by 43% in 2024, to reach around 1.7 million. In 2023, the majority of applicants came from Venezuela (185 000), Colombia (128 000) and Cuba (99 000). The largest increase since 2022 concerned nationals of Colombia (+96 000) and the largest decrease nationals of Cuba (‑57 800). Of the 259 000 decisions taken in 2024, 14% were positive.
Emigration of United States citizens to OECD countries decreased by ‑0.1% in 2023, to 104 000. Approximately 13% of this group migrated to Spain, 10% to the United Kingdom and 10% to Canada.
Following the transition to a new administration in January 2025, US immigration policy underwent a marked shift through a series of executive, legislative, and administrative actions. On 20 January 2025, President Trump issued a suite of executive orders that rescinded many Biden Administration executive actions, including several key orders affecting employment-based immigration. The Executive Order entitled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” focusses on the faithful execution of US immigration laws. It aimed to ensure efficient and expedited removals, expand detention capacity, increase penalties for aliens who fail to register, and restrict federal funding to jurisdictions designated as sanctuary cities. It also called for significant hiring increases of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel. Additionally, the January 2025 orders aimed to suspend the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) until there is a finding that resumption of entry of refugees would be in the interest of the United States, modify gender markers on federal documents, and introduce birthright citizenship limitations. Numerous executive orders face litigation, and the latter order is temporarily enjoined with the Trump Administration seeking Supreme Court review of the nationwide injunctions against the order. On 27 June 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that federal judges do not have the authority to issue nationwide injunctions.
In January 2025, Congress enacted the Laken Riley Act, which requires the detention of aliens charged with specified criminal offenses and permits US states to initiate legal action against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement. In an exception to the suspension of refugee arrivals, an executive order from February 2025 instructed the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to promote resettlement for South African Afrikaners claiming race‑based persecution. Other policy developments include the discontinuation of the categorical parole programme for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela effective as of March 2025. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, USCIS issued notices to these aliens on 12 June 2025, notifying them that their parole and parole‑based employment authorisation documents were terminated, if they had not already expired by 24 April 2025. Additionally, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was not renewed for several countries, including Nepal, Cameroon, Afghanistan, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Certain administrative systems were overhauled as well. The CBP One application – expanded by the previous administration to schedule asylum appointments – was discontinued. Since March 2025, CBP Home Mobile application has been available, a digital platform intended to facilitate voluntary returns. Beginning 11 April 2025, certain foreign nationals staying in the United States for 30 days or more must register using Form G 325R, as required by a new DHS interim final rule. Noncompliance may lead to fines, imprisonment, or both.
In June 2025, a Presidential Proclamation introduced a travel ban affecting nationals of 12 countries and imposing partial visa restrictions on an additional seven countries. The policy applies to individuals without valid visas and includes limited exemptions.
For further information: www.whitehouse.gov/ | www.loc.gov/ | www.federalregister.gov/ | www.uscis.gov/
