Immigrants

Between 1990 and 2000, the foreign-born population in the United States grew by more than half. In 1990, there were 19.8 million foreign-born individuals in the United States, composing 7.9% of the total population. By 2000, the number of foreign-born residents had risen to 31.1 million, representing 11.1% of the U.S. population–the highest proportion since 1930. The share of the U.S. foreign-born population began to wane in 1910, falling from 14.8% to 11.1% between 1910 and 1930. By 1970, the foreign-born as a percentage of the total U.S. population had reached a low of 4.7%. The proportion only began to climb again during the 1980s.

The volume and nature of immigration to the United States are the results of legislative and social forces that influence the ...