1971 - 1980: 4,493,314 immigrants arrive in the US
1981 - 1990: 7,338,062 immigrants arrived in the US
1991 - 2000: 9,095,417 immigrants arrived in the US
2001 - 2010: 13,900,000 immigrants arrived in the USSummary of US Immigration Trends1970 - Present
US Immigration Trends 1970 - Present: The following chart provides a summary of the US Immigration Trends.Summary of US Immigration Trends1970 - Present
Trends 1970 - Present: The Immigration laws were tightened and then relaxed with the outbreak of WWI
Trends 1970 - Present: 1.6 million African Americans in the south emigrated to other areas within the US
Trends 1970 - Present: Immigrants were attracted to jobs in the cities
Trends 1970 - Present: Immigrants were classified by country of origin, race and class
Trends 1970 - Present: The Migrants from southern Europe and Asia were viewed as inferior
Trends 1970 - Present: Preference was given by the U.S. to immigrants from Northern Europe
Trends 1970 - Present: The 10 year Great Depression resulted in the numbers plummeting
Trends 1970 - Present: The threat of terrorism in the homeland has resulted in laws to enhance securityRecent US Immigration Trends 1970 - Present: Facts about Immigration Trends
The increasing number of immigrants from other parts of the world meant that Europe no longer was the home of most U.S. immigrants. The current US Immigration Trends include Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Chinese, Japanese and Hispanics. Some interesting facts about US Immigration Trends are as follows:
- In the 1970s, Europeans made up less than 20% of the immigrants entering the United States and fell to only about 10% in the 1980s
- In the 1980s and early 1990s Hispanics made up about 50% of the number of immigrants to America
- Between 1990 and 2000, the Hispanic population of America increased 63% from 22.4 million to 35.3 million residents.
- In 2004 the Hispanic population of America was 40.4 million of whom 58.5% were from Mexico, 9.6% from Puerto Rico, 4.8% from Central America, 3.5% from Cuba, 2.2% Dominican Republic and 17.6% from other countries
- In the 1980s and early 1990s, Asians made up about 33% of the remaining immigrants entering America
- Between 1981 and 2000 the United States accepted 531,310 refugees and asylum seekers from Vietnam
- By the end of first decade of the 21st century, one-tenth of all residents of the United States were foreign born
- The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that about 8.7 million people were illegal immigrants
Recent US Immigration Trends 1970 - Present: Effect of the 1965 Hart-Cellar Act
The 1965 Hart-Cellar Act was an important landmark in U.S. immigration law radically changing the previous quota system allowing immigrants into America based on family ties and special skills. Immigration was still restricted from the Eastern Hemisphere but no 'per-country' limitations were placed on immigrants from the Western Hemisphere. The effect of the 1965 Hart-Cellar Act was that the immigrants from Asian, Caribbean and Hispanic countries rose dramatically and, without the quota system, there was a long waiting list of Mexicans wanting to immigrate into the United States. The US Immigration Trend, with the massive wave of immigration to the United States, continued into the beginning of the twenty-first century and seen the largest immigration wave in the history of the United States.Recent US Immigration Trends 1970 - Present: The End of the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War ended in 1975 and prompted trends and waves of emigration from Vietnam to the United States as Vietnamese who had supported Americans during the Vietnam War feared reprisals by the Communist party. The Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act laws were passed allowing Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians recruited by the US in the war against communism to be admitted to the United States as displaced citizens.
Recent US Immigration Trends 1970 - Present: Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The 1980 Refugee Act also allowed persecuted individuals to seek asylum in the United States. The law helped Asian, Hungarians, Chinese and Cubans who were escaping from the Communist regimes in their countries. The refugee policy laid was separate from the US immigration policy and any person in fear of persecution could apply to enter the United States. This resulted in a mass of applications by immigrants from Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala.Recent US Immigration Trends 1970 - Present: Legal Status given to qualifying Immigrants
The 1896 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) granted Legal Status to qualifying immigrants who entered the United States illegally before January 1, 1982. The law also included that all employers must check the immigration status of their employees.Recent US Immigration Trends 1970 - Present: Response to Terrorist Attacks
The United States came under attack from terrorists at Oklahoma City and the 1996 World Trade Center attack. The 2002 Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act were laws passed following the 9/11 attack and was the most comprehensive immigration related response to the terrorist threat to America.