Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs What’s NewAround 2.8 million people migrated to the United States between 2023 and 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday, with the number outpacing previous estimates.Immigration was the biggest driver in bringing the country’s population above 340 million, with the past year seeing the fastest rise since 2001.Why It MattersImmigrant populations increased in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, Census Bureau data showed, while an increase in the birth rate also factored into the overall growth.A rising immigrant population comes right before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on a promise of mass deportations of undocumented and illegal immigrants, as well as the end of some protections which have allowed those from countries such as Venezuela and Cuba to remain in the U.S.What To Know
Between July 2023 and July 2024, the states with the biggest rises in immigrant populations were Florida (411,322), California (361,057), Texas (319,569), and New York (207,161). Overall, 84 percent of the nation’s 3.3 million population increase between 2023 and 2024 came from international migration.For the Sunshine State, migrants made up a majority of the 467,347-person increase in its population, while in California and New York, the new arrivals counteracted a net-loss to domestic migration – i.e. those headed to other states.Wyoming and South Dakota only saw around 1,000 more immigrants arrive, while Montana saw the fewest at 506.Looking over the past four years, Florida remains the state with the largest immigrant population increase – up 1.8 million from April 2020. Where states saw their populations drop, it was not once due to immigrants, as all 50 and D.C. saw net-gains. Puerto Rico was the only place to see a fall – of around 18.000.
The Census Bureau said it employed new methods to estimate the U.S. population in this latest data release, with fluctuations in immigration now factored in. The biggest shift since 2020 has been a large increase in humanitarian migrants entering the country, as opposed to temporary migrants or permanent residents.Humanitarian migrants, such as those in the U.S. through humanitarian parole or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are among those who could be targeted for removal under the next administration.Other points from the new data included a growth in the voting age population, to nearly 267 million, while the number of U.S. children fell 0.2 percent – from 73.3 million in 2023 to 73.1 million in 2024.What People Are SayingChristine Hartley, assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections at the Census Bureau, in a press release: “With this update, we can better understand how the recent increase in international migration is impacting the country’s overall population growth.”Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division, in a press release: “What stands out is the diminishing role of natural increase over the last five years, as net international migration has become the primary driver of the nation’s growth.”Analyst Aaron M. Renn, on X: “Of the eight states with the highest total amount of international immigration, six of them have negative domestic migration.”What Happens NextThe Census Bureau said it was not done working on how to best reflect immigrant population changes, especially when data on new arrivals is limited, while also looking to give more insights into more specific demographics.Population figures like these are used to determine where federal funding is spent, and could help guide future policy on immigration under the new administration.
