The American Council of Immigration does not approve or oppose candidates for elected offices. We aim to provide an analysis of the impact of elections on the US immigration system.
Immigration has long been key to growing the US population. Between 2018 and 2023, they were responsible for 42.1% of the population growth of 100 metropolitan areas in the United States. In particular, 91.7% of the population growth in Metrostor, 83.7% in Metroscranton, Pennsylvania, 82.1% in Metro, New York, and 76.9% in Metropokeepsie, New York, were attributed to an increase in the immigrant population.
In these 100 metropolitan areas, at least one in six residents was immigrant in 2023, according to newly released data from the American Council of Immigration Map The Impact. These figures play a key role in reshaping the nation’s subway regions by maintaining the workforce of key industries and promoting technological innovation. While there is a large concentration of growth in these hubs, the benefits of their growth far exceed the metro region.
Population trends in the US Metro region
Immigration is the stabilizing power of a region where the population is shrinking. About a fifth of the top 100 metro regions saw a decline in the population of US-born people between 2018 and 2023. Among these metro regions, 85% experienced growth in the migrant population.
In some metro areas, immigration completely offsets population decline. For example, Baltimore would have had a 0.9% decline in total population, as the immigrant population did not increase by 19.4% between 2018 and 2023.
Metro area where immigrants fell between 2018 and 2023
Change rate of metro area change in the total population
Percentage of total population without an increase in immigrant population Baltimore 19.4% 1.1% – 0.9% Detroit 7.2% 0.4% – 0.3% Syracuse,
The metro area with the highest growth rate of immigrant population has grown by more than 35% over the last five years, Lakeland, Florida (57.6%). Baton Rouge, LA (41.7%); Knoxville, Tennessee (38.8%); Raleigh, North Carolina (38.6%); Indianapolis (37.8%) were all lower than the average immigrant population in 2018.
Immigrants maintain important industries
In 2023, a total of 76.9% of immigrants were working age (16-64), compared to 61.4% of US-born residents. The number of Americans over the age of 65 is expected to reach 80 million by 2040. Immigration is overexpressed in its important role in caring for seniors, not only in fulfilling job openings left by US-born workers who have retired from the workforce.
By 2037, there is a forecast of a shortage of approximately 143,200 registered nurses in the US metropolitan area, but immigration is already playing an unbalanced role in filling these gaps. In 2023, immigrants accounted for 20.7% of nurses working in the country’s 100 largest metro area. In some subway areas, this share was even higher as immigrants account for more than one in three nurses. At least half of all health aides in Miami, San Jose, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, DC and the Seattle metropolitan area were immigrants.
Immigrants who exert the power of the local economy
In 100 metropolitan areas, immigrants consistently show high levels of workforce participation. Immigration accounted for 22% of the workforce in the top 100 metro region in 2023. This is higher than the 18.1% share of the population. Their employment rate was 96.1%.
Immigration-led households donated more than $577.4 billion in taxes in 2023. This includes $373.1 billion in federal and $204.3 billion in state and local taxes, leaving behind $1.5 trillion in payout. These figures highlight the important role immigrants play. Not just as workers, but as taxpayers and consumers who help maintain the local economy.
Entrepreneurship and innovation
The economic impact of immigration also extends to entrepreneurship. In 2023, 29.8% of the top 100 Metro-region employers were immigrants, generating $98.2 billion in business revenue. McAllen, Texas. Miami; And in the San Jose metropolitan area, more than half of all business owners were immigrants.
Immigration also plays a major role in maintaining the US role as a center for innovation and technology breakthroughs. Nationwide, 23.6% of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workers were immigrants. The market share is even higher in cities known for being the centre of innovation, with 67.4% of STEM workers immigrants in San Jose and 49.7% in San Francisco.
The impact of immigration varies from region to region and is shaped by local industry, demographics, and policy environment. However, one trend is clear. Immigration is increasingly essential to the US subway. As federal government policies threaten to overturn the lives of immigrants, it is more important than ever to recognize and support the contributions of immigrants in our cities and communities.
Submitted: Population increase
