In a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center, it has been revealed that Indians now constitute the third-largest group among illegal immigrants in the United States, with over 725,000 individuals living without legal authorization. The study, conducted by the Washington-based think tank, sheds light on migration patterns during the period of 2017-2021.
The United States experienced the highest influx of illegal migrants from Mexico, followed by El Salvador with 800,000 individuals and India. Notably, the unauthorized immigrant population in the US reached 10.5 million in 2021, although still below the peak of 12.2 million in 2007.
The study indicates a surge in the number of illegal migrants from India since 2017, contributing to the overall increase. The unauthorized immigrant population in the US also saw rises from various regions, including Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Other countries making significant contributions to the illegal immigrant population in the US include Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, former Soviet Union countries, China, and the Dominican Republic, among others.
The Pew study also provides insights into the distribution of unauthorized immigrants across states. California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois are reported to have the highest numbers, with Florida and Washington seeing increases, while California and Nevada experienced declines. The rest of the states remained unchanged in their unauthorized immigrant populations.
It’s noteworthy that at least 4.6 per cent of the US workforce in 2021 is comprised of unauthorized immigrants, reflecting their significant presence in the labour market.
In addition to the unauthorized immigrant population, the study highlights a substantial growth in the lawful immigrant population, which increased by over 8 million, marking a 29 per cent rise during the same period (2017-2021). The foreign-born population, including both authorized and unauthorized individuals, accounted for 14.1 per cent of the total US population in 2021, slightly higher than the figures from the previous five years.
