Pew: 14 Million Living in U.S. Without Permanent Status

Growth reflects rise of temporary protections, not just illegal border crossings.

WASHINGTON — The number of immigrants living in the United States without permanent legal status reached an estimated 14 million in 2023, according to a new report released Thursday by the Pew Research Center.

While the total is the highest on record in modern surveys, immigration researchers stress that the figure must be understood in context: it represents just 4.1% of the U.S. population, far below the proportion of newcomers who reshaped America during the great waves of European immigration in the early 20th century.