Discover facts about the history of immigration in the United States and how its natural resources, the economic climate and the Industrialization and urbanization of America affected the trends and patterns of different groups of immigrants. The numbers of immigrants to the United States have been categorized into three waves of immigration, each of which has distinctive US Immigration Trends and Patterns which explain why the numbers rose and fell across the decades. - Early immigration (1700s - 1850)
- Second wave (1850 - 1970)
- Recent immigration (1970 - present)
US Immigration Trends and Patterns: Numbers and Dates
From 1820-1867, the government recorded only arrivals at seaports. By 1868 all immigrant arrivals into the United States were recorded and provide a more accurate picture of US Immigration Trends and Patterns. US Immigration Trends: Summary of US Immigration Trends and Patterns
The US Immigration Trends reflect the trends and patterns of immigration to the United States. - The first immigrants (1700s - 1850) chose to settle in the 'New World' for religious, political and economic reasons. The First industrial revolution fueled the need for labor in the United States as workers in Europe were looking for employment.
- The trends and patterns of the second wave of immigrants (1850 - 1970) were first dictated by the rise of Big Business and corporations during the industrialization of America when industries cried out for unskilled, cheap foreign labor. This Immigration period then saw great fluctuations when immigration policies and laws, especially in relation to Mexico, changed to accommodate labor shortages caused by Americans being drafted into the military during the First and Second World wars and the Korean War. At the end of each war immigration laws were tightened again. When the US economy was hit by occurrences such as the Great Depression immigration was again restricted.
- The trends and patterns of recent immigration (1970 - present) saw the end of the quota system based on on national origin. This sparked an upward trend in immigration from Mexico and an increase of refugees from Southeast Asia
US Immigration Trends and Patterns: Opening and Slamming the Door on Immigration
US Immigration Trends and Patterns and each successive wave of immigrants tend to reflect the economic and social conditions experienced within the United States and elsewhere in the world. The immigration policy and laws in the United States has either opened its door to new immigrants during periods of financial prosperity only to slam the door shut when times became hard. US Immigration Trends and Patterns also show that with every wave of immigration new migrants have faced hostility from native-born or established residents. Recent US Immigration Trends and Patterns - The Year 2000
The year 2000 saw the origins of migrants to the United States as follows: 47.2% of migrants came to the United States from the Americas of which 50% came from Mexico31.8% of migrants came to America from Asia and Oceana, the main countries or sources of emigration being China, India and the Philippines 15.6% of migrants came to America from Europe5.4% of migrants came to America from Africa or other countries US Immigration Trends and Patterns by Decades
The US Trends and patterns increased or decreased according to government policy and laws that were defined by historical events in the United States and determined the trends in immigration. The factors, causes and reasons of the changes in immigration flows to the United States have been detailed in the following articles: US Immigration Trends and Patterns by Decades | 
