Why It Matters
An estimated 50.2 million foreign-born people resided in the country in 2024, representing approximately 14.8 percent of the total U.S. population, according to a new Congressional Research Service report. This share tied for the highest proportion ever recorded, matching the 1890 peak. About 25.8 million of these individuals are naturalized U.S. citizens, accounting for roughly 51 percent of the foreign-born population.
The Trump administration has already moved to reshape immigration enforcement and reduce certain categories of admissions, including terminating 13 of 17 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) country designations since March 2025.
The Big Picture
In fiscal year 2024, the United States granted 1,364,090 individuals lawful permanent resident (LPR) status, commonly known as green cards. Family-sponsored categories accounted for 63 percent of these admissions, while refugees and asylees represented 16 percent, employment-based immigrants 13 percent, and the diversity visa program four percent. Of these new LPRs, 43 percent were new arrivals to the United States, while 57 percent adjusted to LPR status from within the country.
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has been suspended since January 2025 with limited exceptions. In the first nine months of fiscal year 2026, only 7,730 refugees were admitted, compared to the 68,000 principal applicants granted asylum in fiscal year 2024.
Separately, an estimated 8.5 million lawful permanent residents were potentially eligible to naturalize as of January 2025, while 436,350 individuals were covered by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) as of June 30. The unauthorized population was estimated to range between 14.6 million and 15.8 million individuals in 2024, representing around 30 percent of all foreign-born individuals living in the United States.
The Bottom Line
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