US Immigration Statistics by Year 2025 | Statistics & Facts

Immigration Statistics by Year in America 2025

The landscape of immigration in the United States has experienced remarkable transformations throughout the years leading up to 2025, creating one of the most dynamic periods in American immigration history. The foreign-born population reached an unprecedented peak of 53.3 million in January 2025, representing 15.8 percent of the total U.S. population—the highest percentage ever recorded in the nation’s modern history. This extraordinary milestone demonstrates how immigration continues to shape America’s demographic future, surpassing historical peaks from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The year-over-year analysis reveals dramatic shifts in immigration patterns, with some years showing record increases while others marked historic declines in specific immigration categories.

However, by June 2025, a significant reversal occurred as the immigrant population decreased to 51.9 million, marking the first substantial decline in more than 50 years. This 2.6 percent decrease within just five months represents a pivotal moment in American immigration trends, driven by policy changes, increased enforcement actions, and shifting global migration patterns. The year-by-year statistics from 2020 through 2025 paint a complex picture of legal immigration pathways, border enforcement dynamics, naturalization trends, and deportation patterns that have fundamentally reshaped the immigration system. Understanding these annual fluctuations provides critical insights into how immigration policy, economic conditions, global events, and administrative priorities create dramatic year-to-year variations in immigration outcomes across all categories.

Key US Immigration Facts and Statistics in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Homeland Security Statistics, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Pew Research Center, Migration Policy Institute (2020-2025)

The year-by-year immigration statistics presented above reveal extraordinary fluctuations across all major immigration categories from 2020 through 2025. The foreign-born population grew by 7.1 million between 2020 and January 2025, representing a 15.4 percent increase over this five-year period. This growth trajectory experienced its most dramatic acceleration between 2021 and 2023, when the United States added more than 3 million immigrants annually—the highest sustained annual increases ever recorded in American history. The January 2025 peak of 53.3 million foreign-born residents exceeded all previous historical records, including the immigration waves of the 1890s and 1910s when the immigrant percentage of the population last approached current levels.

The lawful permanent resident category demonstrates the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery on legal immigration pathways. Fiscal year 2020 saw LPR grants plummet to just 707,362—the lowest level since 2003—as embassy closures, travel restrictions, and processing delays severely disrupted immigration operations worldwide. The recovery began gradually in 2021 with 740,002 grants, then surged dramatically in 2022 to 1,018,349 admissions, representing a 38 percent year-over-year increase. Fiscal year 2023 reached 1,173,000 grants, the highest level since 2016, before stabilizing at an estimated 1,063,200 in fiscal year 2024. This five-year period from 2020 to 2024 totals approximately 4.7 million new green card holders, demonstrating that despite significant annual variations, the United States maintained robust legal immigration pathways even during unprecedented global challenges.

Lawful Permanent Resident Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Department of Homeland Security Office of Homeland Security Statistics, Yearbook of Immigration Statistics 2020-2023, Lawful Permanent Residents Annual Flow Reports

The lawful permanent resident statistics by year demonstrate how dramatically the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted legal immigration in fiscal year 2020, followed by a robust recovery that peaked in fiscal year 2023. The 707,362 green cards issued in 2020 represented a 44 percent decrease from the pre-pandemic level of approximately 1.03 million in fiscal year 2019. This historic decline stemmed from embassy and consulate closures worldwide, suspended visa processing operations, international travel restrictions, and USCIS office closures that halted adjustment of status interviews. The impact fell disproportionately on family-sponsored preference categories, which dropped from 226,000 grants in 2019 to just 124,893 in 2020—a 45 percent decline—as applicants abroad could not obtain visa appointments or travel to the United States.

The recovery trajectory shows the resilience of America’s legal immigration system despite unprecedented challenges. Fiscal year 2021 saw 740,002 LPR grants, representing a modest 4.6 percent increase as operations gradually resumed. However, fiscal year 2022 marked the true recovery with 1,018,349 grants—a spectacular 38 percent year-over-year jump that brought admissions very close to the 1,017,000 annual average for fiscal years 2000-2021. This surge continued into fiscal year 2023, which recorded 1,173,000 grants, the highest annual total since fiscal year 2016’s 1,183,505 admissions. The 15.2 percent increase from 2022 to 2023 reflected clearing pandemic-era backlogs, expanded embassy capacity, and administrative efficiencies that accelerated case processing.

The category distributions reveal shifting priorities and policy impacts across the five-year period. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens—an uncapped category including spouses, minor children, and parents—maintained relatively stable absolute numbers ranging from 234,431 to 347,208 annually, though their percentage share varied from 29.6 to 34.2 percent depending on total admission levels. Family-sponsored preferences experienced the most dramatic fluctuations, collapsing from 226,000 in 2019 to 99,498 in 2021 due to embassy closures, then rebounding to 271,093 in 2023 as visa processing capacity recovered and unused visas from previous years became available through recapture provisions.

Naturalization Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Statistics FY 2020-2024, DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, Congressional Research Service Reports

The naturalization statistics by year demonstrate remarkable resilience even during the pandemic, with annual citizenship grants remaining substantial despite processing challenges. Fiscal year 2020 saw 625,400 naturalizations, representing a 27 percent decrease from fiscal year 2019’s 857,500 as COVID-19 lockdowns suspended in-person interviews and oath ceremonies starting in March 2020. USCIS field offices closed completely for several months, creating a processing paralysis that prevented applicants from completing their final citizenship steps even when their applications were approved. The agency adapted by implementing remote oath ceremonies and developing safety protocols for limited-capacity in-person operations, enabling partial recovery by late fiscal year 2020.

The recovery accelerated dramatically in fiscal year 2021, with 855,000 naturalizations—a 37 percent year-over-year increase that reflected both pent-up demand and USCIS’s successful adaptation to pandemic constraints. This upward trend continued in fiscal year 2022, which recorded 967,400 naturalizations, approaching the 1 million threshold and representing a 13 percent increase over 2021. This fiscal year 2022 total marked the highest naturalization level since fiscal year 2008’s all-time record of 1,047,000 citizens, which occurred due to fee increase announcements and pre-election citizenship campaigns. The 32 percent increase from fiscal year 2020’s pandemic low to fiscal year 2022’s near-record demonstrates how effectively USCIS mobilized resources to clear backlogs.

However, fiscal year 2023 saw naturalizations decline to 878,500—a 9 percent decrease from 2022—followed by another 7 percent drop to 818,500 in fiscal year 2024. These consecutive declines do not reflect processing problems but rather represent the natural completion of pandemic-era backlog clearance combined with the typical 5 to 7-year lag between obtaining green cards and naturalizing. The 2015-2016 peak in LPR grants created a corresponding naturalization wave in 2020-2022, and as those cohorts completed citizenship, annual totals normalized. Notably, the three-year total for fiscal years 2022-2024 exceeds 2.6 million new citizens, demonstrating sustained high-volume naturalization despite year-to-year fluctuations.

Border Encounters and Apprehensions by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Southwest Land Border Encounters, Nationwide Encounters Statistics, DHS Monthly Operational Updates 2020-2025

The border encounters and apprehensions by year reveal one of the most dramatic immigration enforcement stories of the past five years, with total encounters increasing more than fivefold between fiscal year 2020 and the fiscal year 2023 peak. Fiscal year 2020 recorded 646,822 total nationwide encounters, including 458,088 at the southwest border—relatively low levels influenced by pandemic travel restrictions and the March 2020 implementation of Title 42 expulsion authority. This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public health order allowed border officials to rapidly expel migrants without standard immigration processing, removing traditional asylum access and creating a fundamentally different border enforcement environment that lasted until May 2023.

The surge began in fiscal year 2021, when nationwide encounters tripled to 2,034,687—a 215 percent year-over-year increase that overwhelmed border infrastructure and detention capacity. Southwest border encounters alone reached 1,956,519, including 1,734,686 U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions between ports of entry. This dramatic increase reflected multiple factors: economic devastation from COVID-19 in origin countries, political instability in Central America and Venezuela, relaxed enforcement expectations under the new administration, and smuggling organizations exploiting Title 42’s lack of legal consequences, which enabled high recidivism rates as expelled migrants attempted multiple crossings without criminal prosecution risks.

Fiscal year 2022 saw encounters continue climbing to 2,935,787 nationwide and 2,766,582 at the southwest border—a 41 percent increase over 2021 levels. The fiscal year 2023 peak reached 3,471,209 nationwide encounters, with southwest border encounters hitting 3,201,144—the highest annual totals ever recorded in American border enforcement history. Monthly encounters peaked at over 370,000 in December 2023, averaging more than 12,000 daily encounters that strained every aspect of border operations. Fiscal year 2024 saw a modest decline to approximately 3.1 million nationwide encounters, representing an 11 percent decrease that reflected new restrictions implemented in June 2024 when the Biden administration announced asylum limitations after Title 42 ended.

Refugee and Asylum Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Department of State Refugee Processing Center, Department of Homeland Security Office of Homeland Security Statistics, USCIS Asylum Division Statistics, Refugees Annual Flow Reports 2020-2024

The refugee and asylum statistics by year tell a story of unprecedented decline followed by dramatic resurgence in America’s humanitarian protection programs. Fiscal year 2020 saw just 11,840 refugee admissions—one of the lowest totals since the modern refugee program began in 1980—as the Trump administration maintained historically restrictive refugee ceilings and then COVID-19 halted virtually all refugee travel and resettlement operations worldwide. The 18,000 ceiling for fiscal year 2020 represented the lowest presidential determination in program history, and actual admissions reached only 65.8 percent of even this restricted ceiling as pandemic disruptions froze overseas processing, medical screenings, and international travel.

Fiscal year 2021 marked the absolute nadir with just 11,411 refugee admissions—the lowest total in the program’s four-decade history. Despite a mid-year increase in the refugee ceiling from 15,000 to 62,500, operational infrastructure had been so thoroughly dismantled that resettlement agencies lacked capacity to rebuild quickly. Overseas processing facilities operated at minimal staffing, security clearance backlogs stretched for months, and international travel remained severely restricted. The 18.2 percent admission rate against the raised ceiling demonstrated that increasing numerical targets meant nothing without functioning resettlement infrastructure, trained personnel, and willing resettlement communities.

The recovery began in fiscal year 2022 with 25,465 refugee admissions—more than doubling the prior year but still representing only 20.4 percent of the 125,000 ceiling set by the Biden administration. Fiscal year 2023 saw meaningful progress to 60,014 admissions (48.0 percent of ceiling), followed by fiscal year 2024’s remarkable 100,060 refugees—the highest annual total since fiscal year 1995 and representing 80.0 percent ceiling utilization. This 777 percent increase from the fiscal year 2021 low to the fiscal year 2024 high demonstrates the successful rebuilding of refugee infrastructure, expanded overseas processing capacity, and restored resettlement agency networks across the United States.

Deportation and Removal Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics, DHS Office of Homeland Security Statistics Immigration Enforcement Monthly Tables, ICE Annual Reports 2020-2024

The deportation and removal statistics by year reveal the most dramatic enforcement fluctuations in modern immigration history, with ICE removals declining by 68 percent from 2020 to 2021 before rebounding to record levels by 2025. Fiscal year 2020 saw 185,884 removals, representing a 30 percent decrease from fiscal year 2019’s 266,000 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted deportation flights, closed consulates refused to accept returnees, and Title 42 expulsions at the border replaced traditional ICE removal operations. Despite this overall decline, 92 percent of interior removals involved individuals with criminal convictions, demonstrating ICE’s continued prioritization of public safety threats even with reduced overall capacity.

Fiscal year 2021 marked an unprecedented collapse to just 59,011 removals—the lowest total since at least 1990 and representing a 68 percent year-over-year decrease. This historic low stemmed from the Biden administration’s September 2021 enforcement priorities memorandum directing ICE to focus exclusively on national security threats, public safety dangers, and recent border crossers rather than all removable individuals. Interior enforcement virtually ceased, with just 27,248 interior removals—a 74 percent decline from fiscal year 2020. The interior arrest total dropped to 74,082—the lowest in decades—as ICE field offices implemented restrictive guidance requiring supervisory approval for arrests outside priority categories.

The recovery trajectory shows steadily increasing enforcement from the fiscal year 2021 low through record-breaking fiscal year 2025 levels. Fiscal year 2022 saw 81,547 removals (38 percent increase), followed by fiscal year 2023’s 142,580 removals (75 percent increase), and fiscal year 2024’s estimated 271,000 removals (90 percent increase). This fiscal year 2024 total exceeded the fiscal year 2020 pre-pandemic level and approached fiscal year 2019’s totals, demonstrating restored operational capacity. However, the composition shifted dramatically: border-based removals reached 224,000 (accounting for 83 percent of total removals), while interior removals remained suppressed at approximately 47,000. This shift reflected ICE’s strategic focus on faster, cheaper border removals requiring minimal detention time rather than complex interior cases involving years of court proceedings.

Unauthorized Immigrant Population by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Pew Research Center Unauthorized Immigrant Population Estimates, Department of Homeland Security Population Estimates, Migration Policy Institute Analysis, Center for Migration Studies Reports 2020-2025

The unauthorized immigrant population statistics by year demonstrate the most dramatic growth period in modern American history, with the undocumented population increasing by 3.3 million between 2020 and early 2024—a 31 percent increase in just four years. The 2020 baseline of 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants represented a relatively stable level that had persisted since approximately 2009, following the Great Recession that reduced undocumented immigration to historic lows. The modest 2021 increase to 10.9 million (+400,000) marked the beginning of accelerating growth that would fundamentally alter America’s unauthorized immigrant demographics and policy debates.

The explosion occurred in 2022, when the unauthorized population surged to 12.8 million—an extraordinary 1.9 million increase in a single year representing the largest annual growth ever documented. This unprecedented jump reflected multiple converging factors: economic recovery creating strong labor demand, deteriorating conditions in origin countries, Title 42 expulsion policy enabling high recidivism rates without legal consequences, overwhelmed border enforcement unable to detain or quickly remove most arrivals, and humanitarian parole programs that some analysts categorize differently than traditional legal status. The 2023 population reached 14 million, adding another 1.2 million, before stabilizing at approximately 14.2 million in January 2024—the highest level ever recorded and surpassing the previous 2007 peak of roughly 12.2 million.

The compositional shifts reveal changing migration patterns with profound implications. The Mexican unauthorized population declined from 4.6 million in 2020 to an estimated 3.8 million in mid-2025, dropping from 43.8 percent of the total to just 27.5 percent. This continued a long-term trend driven by Mexico’s demographic transition, improved economic conditions, and increased border enforcement. Conversely, Venezuelan unauthorized immigrants exploded from 260,000 in 2020 to approximately 1.3 million by early 2024—a fivefold increase making Venezuela one of the largest origin countries. Similarly, Guatemala grew from 680,000 to 1.05 million, while Honduras increased from 560,000 to 880,000, reflecting Central American migration pressures and family reunification chains.

Temporary Worker Visa Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services H-1B Employer Data Hub, Department of State Nonimmigrant Visa Statistics, Department of Labor Foreign Labor Certification Data, USCIS Fiscal Year Reports 2020-2024

The temporary worker visa statistics by year reveal how employment-based immigration weathered the pandemic and adapted to evolving economic needs despite regulatory uncertainties. The H-1B specialty occupation visa program saw approvals decline from 388,000 in 2020 to a low of 386,000 in 2023, with modest recovery to 400,000 in 2024. However, these overall figures mask significant underlying trends: initial H-1B approvals for new employment dropped from 147,000 in 2020 to 117,000 in 2023, while continuing employment approvals (extensions and transfers) increased from 241,000 to 280,000, demonstrating that existing H-1B workers maintained strong employer demand even as new cap-subject admissions remained constrained by the 85,000 annual limit (65,000 regular cap plus 20,000 advanced degree exemption).

The H-1B registration system launched in fiscal year 2021 fundamentally changed how employers compete for limited visas, replacing physical petition submissions with electronic lottery entries. Registration volumes exploded from 275,000 in 2020 to a peak of 781,000 in fiscal year 2023—a 184 percent increase driven by the system’s low cost ($10 per registration versus $460+ per petition) enabling employers to submit multiple registrations for the same beneficiary across different affiliated entities. This gaming of the system crashed selection rates from 45 percent in 2020 to just 15 percent in fiscal year 2023, meaning 85 percent of registrants received nothing despite employer sponsorship. USCIS implemented beneficiary-based selection in fiscal year 2024, reducing registrations to 479,953 and improving selection rates to 25 percent, with fiscal year 2026 projections showing further normalization at 339,000 registrations and 28 percent selection rate.

The H-2A agricultural worker program experienced explosive growth from 213,394 certifications in 2020 to an estimated 386,000 in 2024—an 81 percent increase reflecting agriculture’s chronic domestic labor shortages and increasing reliance on temporary foreign workers. Unlike H-1B visas subject to caps, H-2A approvals have no numerical limit, enabling unconstrained growth as farmers demonstrate inability to find U.S. workers. The H-2B seasonal nonagricultural program faces a statutory 66,000 annual cap but received supplemental allocations of 64,716 additional visas annually from fiscal years 2022-2025, effectively doubling program capacity to meet hospitality, landscaping, seafood processing, and construction industry demands. Total H-2B approvals grew from 65,716 in 2020 to approximately 156,000 in 2024 when including supplemental visas.

Family-Based Immigration Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Department of Homeland Security Office of Homeland Security Statistics Lawful Permanent Residents Reports, Department of State Visa Bulletin Archives, National Visa Center Waiting List Statistics 2020-2024

The family-based immigration statistics by year demonstrate how family reunification remains the cornerstone of American immigration policy, accounting for approximately 50 percent of all lawful permanent resident grants annually despite decades-long backlogs and restrictive numerical limitations. The 359,324 family-based LPRs in fiscal year 2020 represented a pandemic-induced decline from typical levels of approximately 450,000 annually, as embassy closures prevented visa issuance and travel bans blocked entry even for approved cases. The immediate relative category—encompassing spouses, minor children, and parents of U.S. citizens—maintained 234,431 admissions in 2020 despite these challenges, demonstrating the category’s unlimited numerical status and prioritization for limited embassy resources.

The recovery accelerated dramatically through fiscal years 2021-2023, with family-based admissions reaching 618,301 in 2023—the highest level since fiscal year 2016. This 72 percent increase from the fiscal year 2020 pandemic low reflected both clearing accumulated backlogs and strong underlying demand driven by naturalized citizens sponsoring family members and previous green card holders achieving citizenship to sponsor relatives. The immediate relative category grew to 347,208 admissions in 2023, while family preference categories exploded from 99,498 in 2021 to 271,093 in 2023—a 172 percent increase enabled by visa recapture provisions that made unused prior-year numbers available and accelerated embassy processing.

The F2A category (spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents) dominates family preferences with 175,200 admissions in 2023, accounting for 64.6 percent of all preference admissions. This reflects both the category’s higher annual allocation of approximately 114,200 visas and its shorter waiting times averaging 2-3 years compared to other preference categories. In contrast, the F4 category (siblings of U.S. citizens) received just 3,393 admissions in 2023 despite approximately 2.4 million waiting list applicants, reflecting the category’s low annual allocation of approximately 65,000 visas combined with per-country limits that create 23-year average waits. Applications filed in November 2000 were just reaching final processing in late 2023 for most countries.

Border Security and Enforcement Technology by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Budget Justifications FY 2020-2025, CBP Staffing Statistics, DHS Border Security Technology Reports, Government Accountability Office Border Security Assessments

The border security and enforcement technology statistics by year reveal substantial infrastructure investments and personnel expansion aimed at improving detection capabilities and processing efficiency even as overall border encounters reached historic levels. The U.S. Border Patrol agent workforce remained relatively stable at approximately 19,500-20,000 agents from fiscal years 2020-2023, well below the statutory authorization of 21,370 agents and the all-time peak of 21,444 agents in 2011. Recruitment challenges, high attrition rates, remote duty locations, and lengthy hiring timelines prevented rapid expansion despite Congressional funding. However, fiscal year 2024 saw meaningful growth toward 21,500 agents, with fiscal year 2025 targeting 22,000 agents through enhanced recruitment incentives, streamlined hiring processes, and increased starting salaries.

The technology investment trajectory shows accelerating emphasis on force multipliers rather than just personnel. The 45 surveillance towers operational in fiscal year 2020 expanded to 245 by fiscal year 2024—a 444 percent increase—providing persistent surveillance across vast stretches of remote borderlands where agent presence proves impractical. These towers integrate long-range cameras, thermal imaging, ground-sweeping radar, and automated detection algorithms to alert agents to border crossings, enabling targeted response rather than fixed patrol patterns. The unmanned aircraft systems fleet grew from 12 drones in 2020 to 28 by 2024, with plans for 35 operational systems providing aerial surveillance, tracking capabilities, and operational overwatch for ground units.

The biometric entry-exit system expansion represents perhaps the most significant technological advancement, with facial recognition capability deployed at 57 airports by 2024 (up from 43 in 2020) and 42 land ports of entry (up from 12 in 2020). This technology enables real-time identity verification, overstay detection, and watchlist screening while accelerating legitimate traveler processing. The mobile biometric devices carried by agents increased from 8,500 in 2020 to 14,200 in 2024, enabling fingerprint capture, facial recognition, and real-time database queries in the field rather than requiring transport to stations. These systems identified thousands of individuals using fraudulent identities or with prior immigration violations who would otherwise have been released.

Student Visa and International Education Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Department of State Nonimmigrant Visa Statistics, Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Data, Institute of International Education Open Doors Report, USCIS Optional Practical Training Statistics 2020-2024

The student visa and international education statistics by year demonstrate the devastating impact of COVID-19 on international education followed by a strong but incomplete recovery that has reshaped global student mobility patterns. Fiscal year 2020 saw F-1 student visa issuance collapse to just 77,923—an 83 percent decline from fiscal year 2019’s 462,422 visas—as consulates worldwide closed, universities shifted to remote instruction, and international travel became nearly impossible. The active international student population declined by 15.2 percent from 1,475,000 in 2019 to 1,251,000 in 2020 as new enrollments plummeted, many continuing students returned home, and Optional Practical Training participants left the country.

Fiscal year 2021 marked the nadir with total international student enrollment falling to 948,519—a 24.2 percent year-over-year decline representing the steepest drop ever recorded. Student visa issuance remained suppressed at 234,748, though this represented a 201 percent recovery from fiscal year 2020’s historic low as consulates gradually reopened and universities prepared for in-person instruction. The recovery accelerated in fiscal year 2022 with 406,346 F-1 visas issued (73 percent increase) and enrollment reaching 1,057,188 (11.5 percent growth), followed by fiscal year 2023’s 467,000 visas and 1,174,000 enrollment (11.0 percent growth). However, even the fiscal year 2024 estimate of 1,235,000 students remains below the fiscal year 2019 peak of 1,475,000, demonstrating that full recovery remains elusive five years after the pandemic began.

The national origin shifts reveal fundamental restructuring of international student demographics with profound long-term implications. China remained the largest source country but experienced consistent decline from 372,532 students in 2020 to an estimated 268,000 in 2024—a 28 percent decrease reflecting geopolitical tensions, pandemic-related travel restrictions, improved Chinese domestic universities, and declining Chinese youth population. India overtook China as the leading sender in academic year 2023-2024, growing from 167,582 in 2021 to an estimated 295,000 in 2024—a 76 percent increase driven by India’s growing middle class, English language advantages, strong STEM focus, and generous Optional Practical Training provisions that enable up to three years of U.S. work authorization for STEM degree holders. The STEM field concentration increased from 52.8 percent in 2020 to an estimated 59.5 percent in 2024, with computer science, engineering, and mathematics dominating international student interests.

Immigration Court and Asylum Backlog Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) Statistics Yearbook 2020-2024, Syracuse University Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) Immigration Data, Department of Justice EOIR Adjudication Statistics

The immigration court and asylum backlog statistics by year paint a picture of a system in crisis, with pending cases nearly tripling from 1,295,769 in fiscal year 2020 to 3,725,000 by August 2025—an unprecedented accumulation representing an average wait time of more than three years before case resolution. The fiscal year 2020 backlog already represented historic levels, but the pandemic’s March 2020 court closures suspended in-person hearings for months, causing completions to plummet while enforcement actions and border apprehensions continued adding new cases. Courts eventually adapted through video hearings and prioritization protocols, but annual completions of 275,000-420,000 cases proved woefully inadequate against new filings of 458,000-1,332,000 annually.

The backlog explosion accelerated dramatically from fiscal years 2021-2023 as southwest border encounters reached record levels and most apprehended migrants received Notices to Appear initiating removal proceedings. Fiscal year 2021 added 625,000 new cases while completing just 301,000—a 324,000 net backlog increase. Fiscal year 2022 saw 828,000 new cases against 342,000 completions—a 486,000 net increase. The fiscal year 2023 crisis peaked with approximately 1,332,000 new cases filed while completing 386,000—adding nearly 1 million cases to the backlog in a single year. This represented more new cases in one year than the entire backlog that existed in 2012. Even fiscal year 2024’s estimated 1,056,000 new cases far exceeded the 420,000 completions, adding another 636,000 to the backlog.

The judicial resource shortage remains the fundamental constraint despite hiring efforts. The immigration court system operated with just 534 judges in fiscal year 2020, increased to 634 by fiscal year 2023, and reached approximately 675 by fiscal year 2024—still far short of the estimated 1,000+ judges needed to address current caseloads. Each judge now carries an average caseload exceeding 5,500 pending cases, up from approximately 2,400 cases per judge in fiscal year 2020. The average case completion time stretched from 912 days (2.5 years) in fiscal year 2020 to an estimated 1,312 days (3.6 years) by mid-2025, with asylum cases typically requiring even longer due to their evidentiary complexity. The median time to first hearing exceeded 1,256 days (3.4 years) by 2025, meaning most respondents waited more than three years just for their initial master calendar hearing.

Visa Overstay Statistics by Year in the US 2025

Data Source: Department of Homeland Security Entry/Exit Overstay Reports FY 2020-2023, CBP Air/Sea Statistics, SEVP Overstay Analysis, DHS Office of Immigration Statistics

The visa overstay statistics by year provide critical insights into a significant but often overlooked component of unauthorized immigration, with hundreds of thousands of nonimmigrants remaining in the United States beyond their authorized periods annually. Fiscal year 2020 recorded 676,422 suspected in-country overstays from 32.5 million expected departures, yielding a 2.08 percent overstay rate. This relatively modest percentage masks the substantial absolute numbers and the reality that visa overstays have historically accounted for approximately 40 percent of the unauthorized immigrant population—a proportion that has grown as southwest border enforcement tightened over decades while interior enforcement and overstay tracking remained comparatively weak.

The pandemic impact initially reduced both admissions and overstays in fiscal year 2021, with just 25.2 million nonimmigrant admissions (a 23 percent decline) and 522,074 overstays reflecting travel restrictions and reduced international mobility. However, the overstay rate increased slightly to 2.10 percent, suggesting that those who did travel during pandemic restrictions may have faced greater incentives or obstacles to timely departure. The recovery in fiscal years 2022-2024 saw admissions surge to 41.5 million, 52.0 million, and an estimated 57.5 million respectively, while overstays grew proportionally to 724,168, 853,000, and an estimated 945,000. Notably, the overstay rate improved to 1.66 percent by 2023-2024, reflecting enhanced biometric exit tracking, improved departure confirmation, and more accurate data collection.

The Visa Waiver Program consistently demonstrates the lowest overstay rates at approximately 0.35-0.44 percent, validating the program’s strict eligibility requirements, electronic passport mandates, and bilateral cooperation agreements that enable participating countries’ nationals to visit the United States for up to 90 days without obtaining visas. The 74,853 VWP overstays in fiscal year 2020 represented just 0.39 percent of 19.2 million VWP admissions, while fiscal year 2024’s estimated 106,000 overstays accounted for only 0.35 percent of approximately 30.3 million admissions. These low rates contrast sharply with overall overstay statistics, demonstrating that careful vetting, strong diplomatic ties, and economic prosperity in origin countries create powerful incentives for compliance.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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