Foreign-Born Population Reaches Highest Level Since 1890 — Astonishing New Data Reveals Impact of Biden’s Policies on America

In January of this year, the government’s household survey indicated that the immigrant population (including both legal and illegal residents) reached 53.5 million, representing 15.8% of the total population of the United States.

These figures mark all-time highs in American history.

The unprecedented level of immigration brings significant consequences for taxpayers, educational institutions, American workers, and our capacity to integrate such a large number of individuals.

The public justifiably feels that such a level of immigration is not sustainable, which largely influenced their support for Donald Trump.

Officially referred to as the Current Population Survey (CPS), January’s household survey is the initial government assessment to utilize an updated methodology created by the Census Bureau to more accurately represent the recent influx of illegal immigration.

The January figures surpassed the previous record established in 1890, indicating a drastic shift in the demographic landscape. Just two years prior, the Census Bureau had projected that the foreign-born population would not hit 15.8% until 2042.

Reports suggest that approximately 12 million new immigrants (both legal and illegal) have arrived during Biden’s administration. Due to yearly mortality and return migration, the net growth was “merely” 8.3 million — exceeding the total populations of 38 states.

A significant portion of the recent increase is attributed to illegal immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security estimates the count of illegal immigrants by deducting the known number of legal immigrants from the total reported immigrant population.

As of January 2025, this differential was recorded at 15.4 million, representing an increase of 5.4 million (or 54%) when compared to the January 2021 data.

Even if only a small percentage of illegal immigrants are unaccounted for in the survey, the overall population could be close to 16 million.

While illegal immigration surged in the past four years, legal immigration has been notably high for several decades.

Media coverage about legal immigrants tends to emphasize the challenges associated with obtaining visas, suggesting that legal immigration is quite limited. However, many Americans may not realize that 71% (approximately 38 million) of all immigrants are in the country legally.

No single government policy affects virtually every aspect of American society as much as immigration does.

In 2015, Pew Research estimated that legal and illegal immigrants, along with their descendants, contributed 72 million people to the US population since 1965. That number is now closer to 90 million.

Consider the ramifications for education. The January 2025 statistics reveal that 29% of school-age children in the US have at least one immigrant parent.

Even prior to the surge during Biden’s term, the typical public school student from an immigrant household resided in a locality where 39% of classmates also came from immigrant families.

Assimilation works best when a majority of native-born individuals and their offspring contribute to the processing of English and other features of American culture and identity among immigrants. However, the current scale of immigration is altering this dynamic.

Immigration also significantly affects American workers. By January 2025, 20% of all employed individuals were immigrants. While many possess skills, the majority of immigrant workers lack a bachelor’s degree.

The rise in immigration since the 1960s has corresponded with a consistent rise in the portion of US-born men (aged 16 to 64) who are out of the labor force — not engaged in employment or searching for jobs.

By January 2025, this figure reached 28%, rising from 20% in January 2000 and single-digit levels in the 1960s. These men are not counted as unemployed because they are not actively job-seeking.

Immigration has almost certainly displaced some Americans from the labor market. However, more crucially, the availability of immigrant labor has enabled employers, policymakers, and much of society to overlook the declining participation of men in the labor force.

After all, what incentive is there to focus on this issue if there are willing immigrants available for employment?

However, it is imperative that we address this concern. Research indicates that an increase in the number of working-age men not participating in the labor force is linked to serious social complications, ranging from crime and political disenfranchisement to drug overdoses and suicide.

Integrating less-educated men into the workforce will necessitate reforms in welfare and disability programs, among other measures.

Limiting immigration and allowing wages to rise would certainly be beneficial. However, as long as immigration remains high, there will be minimal motivation to tackle the underlying issues.

The substantial proportion of immigrants with lower educational attainment significantly contributes to the poverty rate. Data from 2024 revealed that over one in three children living in poverty have an immigrant parent.

Providing welfare and other essential services to these low-income children, the majority of whom are US-born, incurs a substantial cost to taxpayers.

One of the most compelling reasons to reduce immigration is to promote assimilation.

According to Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, himself an immigrant’s descendant, stated in 1915 that mastering English and American customs is insufficient.

He asserted that “the immigrant is not fully Americanized unless his interests and affections have become deeply rooted here.” He voiced that immigrants should harmonize completely with our values and aspirations.

Are there any contemporary leaders who still uphold this belief?

Many everyday Americans resonate with Brandeis’s vision, yet a considerable portion of our elites promote identity politics, critical race theory, and multiculturalism.

It is highly imprudent for a society with record numbers of foreign-born residents, which struggles to even define its immigration goals, to maintain elevated immigration levels.

President Trump is correct in advocating for stricter border controls and enforcement of immigration laws, but the lack of law enforcement is merely part of the challenge.

The core issue lies in policymakers’ failure to address the sheer volume of immigration, whether legal or illegal. Crafting immigration policy without considering the total numbers is akin to budget planning without evaluating spending levels.

Immigration policy should be designed with the nation’s interests at the forefront, prioritizing the capacity of the country to absorb new residents.

Steven A. Camarota is the Director of Research at the Center for Immigration Studies.