US Illegal Immigration Surges to All-Time High of 14 Million in 2023

Strategic Insights -

Pew Research Center reported that the number of people living in the United States illegally has surged to an all-time high of 14 million in 2023, surpassing the previous high of 12.2 million in 2007. The increase was driven by individuals with some form of legal protection, who have been stripped of their protections since President Donald Trump took office in January. This year's figure is a significant increase from 11.8 million in 2022, with nearly all the increase coming from countries other than Mexico.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of people living in the United States illegally surged to an all-time high of 14 million in 2023, according to the Pew Research Center.
  • The increase was driven by 6 million individuals who were in the country with some form of legal protection, which Trump has since stripped away.
  • The largest nationalities among people in the country illegally were Mexico (4.3 million), Guatemala, El Salvador, and India (4.1 million combined).
  • The total from Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Ukraine, and Peru more than doubled in two years, reaching 4.5 million.
  • The states with the largest numbers of people in the country illegally were California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois.
  • Despite the increase, six states had smaller numbers in 2023 than in the previous peak in 2007: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Oregon.
  • Pew estimated that a record 9.7 million people without legal status were in the workforce, accounting for 5.6% of the U.S. labor force in 2023.
  • The overall U.S. immigrant population, regardless of legal status, reached an all-time high of over 53 million in January 2025, before dropping.

Statistics:

  • 14 million: The estimated number of people living in the United States illegally in 2023, according to Pew Research Center.
  • 6 million: The number of individuals in the country with some form of legal protection who were stripped of their protections by Trump.
  • 4.3 million: The number of Mexicans living in the country illegally in 2023.
  • 4.1 million: The combined number of individuals from Guatemala, El Salvador, and India living in the country illegally in 2023.
  • 9.7 million: The number of people without legal status in the workforce, accounting for 5.6% of the U.S. labor force in 2023.
  • 53 million: The all-time high of the U.S. immigrant population, regardless of legal status, in January 2025.
  • 15.8%: The record percentage of the U.S. population that is immigrant, as of January 2025.

Sources:

  • Pew Research Center
  • Associated Press
  • The Center for Immigration Studies
  • The Center for Migration Studies
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem