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ImmigrationProf Blog
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Sources for Immigration Data

By immigrationprof

The U.S. Census Bureau makes estimates  of net international migration for the nation, states, and counties in the United States. These estimates are based in part on data collected in censuses and surveys. Projections of the U.S. population are also made using assumptions about net international migration.

Native and Foreign-Born Populations

    * The U.S. Census Bureau uses the term foreign born to refer to anyone who is not a U.S. citizen at birth. This includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (immigrants), temporary migrants (such as foreign students), humanitarian migrants (such as refugees), and people illegally present in the United States.
    * The U.S. Census Bureau uses the term native to refer to anyone born in the United States or a U.S. Island Area such as Puerto Rico, or born abroad of a U.S. citizen parent.

The Census Bureau provides a variety of demographic, social, economic, geographic, and housing information on the foreign-born population in the United States.

To access Census Bureau data, visit its Foreign-Born Population page.

For statistics on legal immigrants, refugees, asylees, temporary admissions, naturalization, and enforcement, immigrant visas, naturalization or applications for other administrative requests,  contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (UCIS)(formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)).

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