Pew Research Center provides information about how immigration has changed in America since 1850.
It reports that nearly 59 million immigrants have entered the U.S. since 1965– making America the #1 destination in the world to move to.
Mexico “is the source of the largest wave of immigration in history from a single country to the United States.”
This report includes data up to 2013. Pew notes that “Countries are defined by their modern-day boundaries, which may be different from their historical boundaries. For example, China includes Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Russia and the former USSR countries are combined in this analysis, even though the Soviet Union was only in existence between 1922 and 1991. Birthplace is self-reported by respondents.”
Facts Americans may not know:
- In 1910– the largest number of immigrants living in 18 states and the District of Columbia, roughly 19 percent of all immigrants in America (2.5 million) were from Germany.
- In the same year, Mexicans were the largest number of immigrants living in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
- The second largest immigrant group in 1910, roughly 11 percent or 1.5 million, was from Russia and the former USSR countries.
- By 2013, Mexico became the country of birth for 28 percent of immigrants in the U.S., or 11.6 million people, representing more than half of all foreign born residents living in Arizona (58%), Idaho (53%), New Mexico (72%), Oklahoma (51%), and Texas (58%).
- Where are the largest number of immigrants in New Jersey from? India.
- Who are the largest number of immigrants living in Maine (24%), Montana (21%), New Hampshire (15%), North Dakota (13%), and Vermont (15%)? Canadians.
- Which is the largest immigrant group living in Alaska (27%) and Hawaii (47%)? Filipinos.