The nature of immigration to California and the rest of the U.S. has changed over the course of the past century. A number of patterns have emerged that have held true for decades, then slowly given way to new ones. The composition of the immigrant population has likewise changed over time. Here are a few of the most avidly requested statistics.
Growth of the immigrant population has slowed
Immigration is a topic that has not remained static over the past century. In fact, current statistics show a pattern that may be a source of surprise to many viewers. As of 2019, over 44.9 million immigrants live in the U.S. This is currently the highest number of immigrants on record since the time that census records first began to be kept.
Immigrants now make up 13.7% of the total population of the U.S. Despite being a seemingly high percentage, this figure still falls short of the highest figure ever noted. This was 14.8% as recorded in 1890. As a result, it can be seen that the total number of immigrants is not rising anywhere near as quickly as some people have feared.
Immigration patterns have changed over a century
The number of immigrants coming to California on employment-based and other types of visas has slowed during the past few years. Part of this may be due to the recent global pandemic. The lower number may also be due to the vigorous anti-immigration measures of the Trump administration.
However, it may also be the case that immigration patterns are beginning to enter a cycle of change. The number of people born outside the United States increased by 0.5% between 2018 and 2019. The slowing growth of the immigrant population is in line with the rest of the country.