Studies show immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born Americans

Immigrants generated about $1.7T in economic activity in 2023 and paid roughly $652B in taxes.

Some argue that restricting illegal immigration would raise wages for lower-income American workers

The Heritage Foundation argues that illegal immigrants' willingness to work for below-market wages suppresses wages for low-skilled American workers—and that reducing illegal immigration would increase wages and job opportunities, particularly for workers without a college degree.

US immigrants shifted from primarily originating in Ireland and Germany to Mexico and India.

Sharp partisan divides shape how Americans view immigration enforcement

A January 2026 survey shows large party gaps: Both sides broadly support recording arrests, but Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to support sharing officer locations and to oppose profiling, masked officers, and neighborhood-based enforcement.

Track the changes in US immigration law throughout history

This interactive timeline tracks the development of US immigration law, overlaid with time-series data on percentages of the foreign-born population. Explore how each major policy development correlated with immigration levels, revealing the relationship between legislation and demographic change.

US immigrants pay billions of dollars in taxes each year

While immigrants who are authorized workers pay taxes just like anyone else, even unauthorized workers file tax returns. These unauthorized workers use individual taxpayer identification numbers.

Explore the different experiences of immigrant communities arriving in the US

Immigrant communities experienced varied paths to entry and assimilation in America, depending on their arrival time and context. This Library of Congress resource provides detailed accounts of the experiences of major immigrant groups, drawing on primary sources.

The share of the immigrant population in the US peaked at nearly 16% in January 2025

In January 2025, the US reached a historic high of 53.3 million immigrants—nearly 16% of the population. By June of that year, the number had fallen by more than a million, ending 50 years of continuous growth in the immigrant population.

Studies link H-1B workers to patents, innovation, and productivity growth in the US

Research shows that H-1B visa holders boost innovation: Firms that employ many H-1Bs file more patents. Economists estimate that foreign STEM workers helped explain 30% to 50% of nationwide productivity growth from 1990 to 2010, while immigrant inventors disproportionately generated high-value patents.

Before 1965, US immigration law relied on nationality-based bans and quotas.

See the origins of the foreign-born population of the United States from 1850 to 2020.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement handles immigration enforcement within the interior of the US

ICE operates inside the United States, enforcing immigration laws through investigations, arrests, detention, and deportation of individuals residing in the country illegally. This page provides an overview of the agency's mission, structure, and internal enforcement operations.

What the research says about the link between lead pollution and crime

The lead-crime hypothesis links childhood lead exposure to impulsivity and aggression as an adult, traits typically associated with higher crime risk. A 2022 meta-analysis found that reducing lead may explain up to 28% of the US homicide decline, but not the broader crime drop.

Murder rates spiked in the US after COVID-19, and then declined in 2023

Criminologist and former investigator Jillian Peterson says whether a murder is solved in the US is nearly up to the flip of a coin, with the clearance rate for murder cases being about 50%. The US, which has more guns than citizens, has about roughly five gun homicides per 100,000 residents, resulting in the 28th-highest rate of deaths from gun violence compared to the rest of the world.

Both parties largely agree that America's immigration system is broken

This three‑part podcast series traces America's immigration system origins, revealing how historically celebrated Ellis Island-era policies evolved into today's fractured, fact‑starved debate—shedding light on economic, cultural, and political forces shaping the current dysfunction.

A timeline of US immigration laws

The United States began regulating immigration soon after it won independence from Great Britain, and the laws since enacted have reflected the politics and migrant flows of the times. Here's a timeline of key immigration laws from 1790 to 2014, according to the Pew Research Center.

Visa overstays account for nearly 40% of illegal US entries

In fiscal year 2023, approximately 510,000 people overstayed their visas, while 860,000 crossed the border illegally, meaning overstays accounted for 37% of the total number of new unauthorized arrivals. This represents a shift from 2007 to 2018, when overstays outnumbered border crossings, to 2019, when illegal crossings surged again.

Sanctuary cities limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

Sanctuary cities limit how local agencies help ICE—such as restricting detainers, jail transfers, or data sharing—while still enforcing criminal law, leaving immigration enforcement mostly to federal authorities.

Immigration courts are part of the DOJ, not the judicial branch

Unlike federal courts, immigration courts operate under the DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review—meaning immigration judges are DOJ employees, not independent judicial officers, and their decisions can be reviewed and overturned by the attorney general.

Immigration enforcement shows how federalism plays out on the ground

In recent years, federalism has shifted from allowing policy diversity across states to open conflict, with states and the federal government increasingly trying to impose their preferences on one another over issues like abortion, voting, immigration, and public health.

In 2023, Native Americans had the lowest life expectancy at birth among all racial and ethnic groups

Native Americans and Alaska Natives face significant health disparities linked to chronic underinvestment in reservation health infrastructure, poverty, and multigenerational psychological harm—often called historical or inherited trauma.

Certain government assistance programs are available to green-card holders

Federal programs such as Medicaid and SNAP are often available to US green-card holders, but that's not typically the case for people with other immigration statuses in the US, like DACA recipients, asylum applicants, and unauthorized immigrants.

Studies show H-1B workers help address shortages in STEM fields

Research finds that unemployment rates in occupations employing large numbers of H-1B workers remained low between 2004 and 2023, even during the pandemic. Other studies suggest H-1Bs complement US workers in STEM fields and expand job opportunities.

Indigenous women are murdered at 10 times the rate of all other ethnicities in the US

Murder is the third-leading cause of death among Indigenous women, who are also 2.5 times more likely to experience violence than any other group. More than 4 in 5 Indigenous women have experienced violence in their lifetime.

Multiple legal pathways exist for immigrating to the United States

This comprehensive guide outlines various routes to US immigration, including family-sponsored and employment-based visas, as well as humanitarian protections. Navigate the complex American immigration system and understand the options available to prospective immigrants seeking legal entry.

A poll from May 2025 found that a majority of Americans oppose ending birthright citizenship

As legal challenges progressed, a May 2025 NPR/Ipsos poll showed fewer than one-third of Americans supported eliminating birthright citizenship, despite broader public backing for other immigration restrictions.

More than a third of America's incarcerated population has a mental illness.

40% of Americans have ancestors who immigrated via Ellis Island

For over 60 years, Ellis Island was the gateway to America, processing millions of immigrants seeking a new life. While many passed through with ease, others faced rigorous medical exams, legal scrutiny, and even deportation. Learn how this small island shaped generations of American families.

How America's cocaine habit fueled its migrant crisis

The United States has been facing a migration crisis along its southern border. Thousands of people have been fleeing their homes in Central America, traveling north through Mexico, and claiming asylum in the USA. Much of this crisis can be traced...

It's likely a myth that Ellis Island inspectors changed immigrants' names, and historians say the errors actually happened overseas.

Policies related to the coronavirus pandemic inadvertently increased illegal border crossings

A pandemic-era public health measure called Title 42—intended to seal the border by expelling migrants immediately—backfired. Because expulsions carried no legal consequences, migrants simply tried again, driving illegal crossings to a peak of over 370,000 people in December 2023.

Advocates for restricting birthright citizenship argue that some parents aren't 'fully subject to US jurisdiction'

Proponents of limiting birthright citizenship claim that undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders do not meet the 14th Amendment's "subject to the jurisdiction" requirement, arguing their allegiance remains with another country.

In June 2025, apprehensions of illegal border crossings at the US-Mexico border reached an all-time low

Total US-Mexico border encounters fell to just 25,228—the lowest monthly figure ever recorded by Customs and Border Patrol—with only 8,024 Border Patrol apprehensions and a single-day low of 136 detentions on June 28.

The 1924 Immigration Act established national-origin quotas favoring certain regions

The Johnson-Reed Act established stringent national-origin quotas favoring northern and Western Europeans while restricting immigration from other regions. This article chronicles the act's origins, its implications, and subsequent efforts to overturn these restrictions.

Congress regrets discriminatory laws targeting Asian immigrants

In 2011, Congress expressed regrets about discriminatory laws that targeted Asian immigrants, such as the 1875 Page Act. Click here to read one of the twin bills and learn more about the laws in question.

Issues of ICE conduct span multiple Republican and Democratic administrations

Complaints of abuse and harsh treatment increased as detentions and deportations of undocumented immigrants reached record levels during former President Barack Obama's first term. Frontline investigated the causes of these claims in 2011 and found that these issues cross party lines.

Hear from those who reported on the ground in Minneapolis amid immigration raids

In this podcast episode, journalists reporting from Minneapolis describe ICE enforcement actions, street protests, and community fallout—offering firsthand accounts of how immigration crackdowns are unfolding in the Midwestern city.

The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act abolished national-origin quotas and transformed the demographics of America

Following decades of citizens pressing for reform, President Johnson signed legislation abolishing national-origin quotas, enabling increased immigration from Asia and Africa. The LBJ Presidential Library features photos, videos, audio clips, and text from the 1965 signing ceremony.

Study shows H-1B visas depress wages and reduce consumer tech costs

A paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that without H-1B workers, American computer scientists would earn 2.6% to 5.1% more and domestic employment could rise by 11%, but consumers would pay more for advanced technology, and output would decrease.

Poems and stories inscribed on the walls of a US immigration island

What Ellis Island was to the East Coast, Angel Island was to the West. Just off the coast of San Francisco, this processing center became a detention center for those targeted by exclusionary immigration laws. Click here to read some of the stories left by the detained.

A study followed a cohort of Black graduates beginning in the 1995–96 school year

While access to higher education led to improved outcomes across minority groups in the US, a significant gap exists in the average amount of debt held and the time it takes to pay back loans. This study found median Black borrowers still owed 95% of the principal two decades later.

Tracking where people moved in the US in 2022

The latest data from the US Postal Service's change of address request system shows a decline in migration in 2022. See where people are moving and where they are leaving with this data breakdown.

The Chinese Exclusion Act was America's first major immigration restriction

The act, signed in 1882, barred Chinese laborers from entering the United States, marking the first significant restriction on free immigration. This overview examines 19th-century Chinese immigration, rising anti-Chinese sentiment, and the diplomatic implications of exclusionary legislation.

What issues Americans are prioritizing in 2022

Inflation, Crime, and Abortion—see a breakdown of voter preferences by age, race, and gender, along with what topics are top of mind for Americans.

An interactive map of race and ethnicity across the US

This map by CNN shows race and ethnicity across the United States. America is more diverse and has more people than ever before. According to the 2020 census, much of its growth is occurring in and around metropolitan areas. By plotting the US...

DACA provides temporary protection for undocumented youth brought to America as children

Created by executive order during the Obama administration, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy provides temporary deportation protection and work authorization for undocumented individuals brought to the US as children. Explore the history and ongoing political debates surrounding DACA and citizenship pathways.

Birthright citizenship guarantees US citizenship to anyone born on US soil

Rooted in the 14th Amendment, birthright citizenship prevents the creation of a permanent noncitizen class by granting citizenship at birth, but it has become a focal point of modern political efforts to restrict immigration.

Native Americans were not granted US citizenship until 1924

The Indian Citizenship Act granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the US, more than 130 years after the Constitution's ratification. Even then, some states continued to deny Native Americans the right to vote for decades.

Tribal courts handle justice on reservations, but face strict limits on whom they can prosecute

Reservation-based courts handle civil and criminal cases, but federal law sharply limits their authority over non-tribal members. As a result, non-Native individuals who commit crimes on reservations often fall outside tribal jurisdiction, creating potential gaps in accountability.

See the increase in financial crimes globally on a map

The Global Organized Crime Index tracks annual shifts in organized crime, ranging from drug and human trafficking to financial crimes. The map shows crime levels for each country, as well as a profile of the country's annual shifts.