Demystifying Immigrants

immigrant (noun): a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence

In the United States, there are five primary types of foreign-born migrants (Migration Policy Institute 2019). The most common are naturalized US citizens who applied for citizenship after holding a green card and living as permanent residents in the US for at least five years. There are also lawful permanent residents (LPRs), also known as green card holders, who are allowed to stay in the country indefinitely as long as they abide by a set of rules and they can also be referred to as legal non-citizens. Refugees and asylum seekers are displaced persons who are allowed residence in the country after a verification process and once fully approved, they are classified legally as LPRs. Next, there are legal non-immigrants who are have arrived on a visa and have a finite timeline to which they are able to reside in the country. Lastly, there are unauthorized immigrants or sometimes referred to as illegal immigrants or undocumented immigrants. Unauthorized immigrants do not have approved residence or citizenship to stay in the country.

While these are the five main types of immigrants, there are more legal classifications within these categories that differentiate between the rights each person is granted.

Approximately, 14% of the US Population in 2017 compromised of immigrants. It's important to note that all native born US citizens are 1st, 2nd, or 3rd generation immigrants except for those who belong to indigenous native american tribes. The following data is solemnly based on immigration defined as a current legal status, not as a cultural or social identity.

To further put these numbers into perspective about 1 in 8 US residents is an immigrant.

From climate change to technological advances to political upheaval, there are a number of reasons that numerous families and individuals flee their home countries in the search for better opportunities. Consequently, where these people come from has changed vastly over the years.

In the 1900s, majority of the immigrants were coming from European nations, largely due to the active world wars. As the political and economical climate changed, the trend begin shifting and many more migrants are seen coming from the Americas (primarily South America). The trend continues into the last decade of the 2000s.

While the make up of immigrants has changed, the current discourse around the implications of immigrants is high and these stories have lead to policies that separate families, invested large financial sums of taxpayer dollars to border control, and have fueled a rise in hate crimes.

Increasingly, the global society including Americans have a fear of immigrants. On November 1st, 2016, the United Nations published a press release describing the rise of xenophobia as a global phenomenon (United Nations Press 2016). In a 2017 study, researchers found that 73% of those who voted for Brexit said they feared immigration (Independent UK 2017). Furthermore, Chapman University's national study found that 40.8% of Americans have some fear in regards to illegal or unauthorized immigration (Chapman University 2018).

So, do Americans need to be concerned about immigrants? Let's walk through three popular myths and the data behind them.