According to a report by the U.S. Sing Tao Daily, the proportion of the immigrant population in the United States has increased to 13%, reaching its highest level since 1920. Among those immigrating to the U.S., more than 1/4 are of Asian descent, a proportion second only to immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean. The Los Angeles Times, citing U.S. Census Bureau figures, reported that as of 2010, 13% of the total U.S. population was foreign-born, an increase of 2 percentage points from 11% a decade ago. In terms of actual numbers, the total immigrant population currently stands at 40 million, an increase of 9 million from 31 million a decade ago.
Comparing the trends in immigrant proportions over the years, the percentage of the immigrant population peaked in 1920, subsequently declined, and reached only 4.7% by 1970. It then rose again over the following decades, with the growth rate only slowing down in recent years. Greco, the official in charge of immigration statistics at the Census Bureau, stated that the most significant increase in the immigrant population occurred in the years between 2000 and 2006.
Among immigrants from various regions, half come from Latin America or the Caribbean, with Mexican immigrants being the majority. This is followed by 1/4 of immigrants from Asia, 12% from Europe, and 4% from Africa.
In terms of states absorbing immigrants, California remains the leader, with 1/4 of the nation's immigrants residing there. The immigrant proportion within the state is 27%, a slight increase of 1 percentage point from 10 years ago. Ranking second to fourth are New York, Texas, and Florida, respectively, with New York's immigrant population proportion at 11%. West Virginia has the lowest proportion of immigrants at only 1%. Data also shows that in recent years, immigrants have begun to settle in states such as Mississippi, Louisiana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.
The census found that immigrant families differ significantly from native-born American families in several respects. On average, immigrant families tend to be larger, have a higher number of minor children under the age of 18, and the phenomenon of three or more generations living under one roof is more common. In addition, the employment rate of immigrants is higher than that of native-born citizens. Among the population aged 16 and over, 68% of immigrants are employed, which is 4 percentage points higher than native-born citizens. Furthermore, 79% of immigrants are part of the labor force, which is 9 percentage points higher than native-born citizens. The only exception is that only 57% of immigrant women are employed, which is lower than the 60% for native-born women.
