Immigrants are people who have moved to a country other than their own, usually with the intention of settling there permanently. They often go through a lengthy vetting process, and many eventually become lawful permanent residents or citizens. Some immigrants also migrate temporarily, such as seasonal workers or students on work visas. Many migrants cite economic, family or personal reasons for leaving their home countries. Others have left to escape war, poverty, natural disasters, crime or dangerous living conditions. Some do not meet the legal definition of refugees but still could face danger if they returned home.
Immigrant communities are important to the United States, contributing to its culture and economy. But they also face challenges, such as workplace discrimination, difficulties making ends meet and confusion over U.S. immigration policies and laws. These issues are more pronounced among certain groups, including lower-income households, black and Hispanic people and those who may be undocumented.
The largest waves of migration to the United States took place in the 1800s, when millions of Europeans moved to the Americas. During this time, immigrants largely came from northern and western Europe (including Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom) and from Asia. Since then, the share of new arrivals who are immigrants has fluctuated. The current wave of migration is mainly from Latin America and China, with smaller numbers coming from India, Vietnam and other parts of Asia.
About a quarter of adults in the United States are immigrants, and most immigrant adults say they are proud to be American. In focus groups, many of these people cited the American dream as their reason for choosing to leave their homes: the opportunity to pursue one’s dreams in a country with a fair and free society.
Many people also cited other reasons for leaving their home countries. Across all adult immigrant subgroups, about a third cited “pulling factors,” such as the lack of jobs or opportunities, poverty or political instability. A similar share cited pushing factors, such as gang violence, war or high levels of crime. Others cited personal reasons such as wanting to join relatives or finding a partner.
Despite the challenges, most immigrants report that their lives in the United States are better than those in their countries of origin. However, some say they feel they are not welcome in their neighborhoods or communities and that it is hard to find jobs. In addition, almost all of those who work say they are overqualified for their jobs and that their employers treat them unfairly. Nonetheless, most immigrants in the United States say they would choose to move again if given the chance. The KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants was conducted online by GfK from October 27 to November 9, 2023, among 2,014 U.S. adults ages 18 and over, with a margin of error of +/- 3.9 percentage points. See methodology for full details. The survey was commissioned by the Los Angeles Times and co-sponsored by KFF.