The Migration Policy Institute published a study this October on changes in the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States, which has increased by 3 million since 2019 and now represents 26% of the total foreign-born population.
As in previous years, the unauthorized population remained concentrated in certain states that have traditionally been gateways to the country, such as California, Texas, and Florida.
In relation to North CarolinaThe report estimates that the unauthorized population is about 450,000 and places it in 8th position among the ten states in the country with the largest unauthorized immigrant population in 2023.
However, The increase in this population does not necessarily reflect an increase in the number of people who have entered the country without authorization. , but part of the increase is due to more immigrants with welfare statusMixed temporary employees have settled in North Carolina.
In the report, the researchers use the definition of “unauthorized” immigrants to include not only those who crossed the border without documents or overstayed their visa, but also those in a temporary immigration status, such as DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), humanitarian parole or with asylum application pending.
According to a previous article by Enlace Latino NC Using data from the Pew Research Center, the figure was estimated at around 325,000 people in 2019, indicating a 38% increase in recent years.
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Where does the majority of the unauthorized population in North Carolina come from?
According to data, the majority of North Carolina's unauthorized population comes from Mexico, totaling 176,000 people (39%).
While most of the unauthorized population in North Carolina comes from Mexico, in Durham and Mecklenburg counties the majority are originally from Honduras, with about 11,000 and 33,000 people, respectively.
Approximately 78% of unauthorized immigrants in the state come from Mexico and Central America.
How long have they been in the United States?
Forty-three percent of the unauthorized immigrant population in North Carolina has lived in the United States for 20 years or more. Meanwhile, 22 percent have resided in the country for less than five years, and 16 percent for between 15 and 19 years.
Age of the unauthorized immigrant population in North Carolina
31% of the unauthorized immigrant population in North Carolina is between 35 and 44 years old, followed by 24% between 45 and 54 years old and 20% between 25 and 34 years old.
English language and level
43% of the unauthorized immigrant population aged 5 and over speaks English with difficulty or “not at all”, while 25% speak English “very well”.
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Labor force participation and sectors
The labor force participation analysis considers the undocumented civilian population aged 16 and over, which totals 412,000 (100%). Of these, 71% are employed, 26% are not part of the labor force, and 3% are unemployed.
Of the 71% of the civilian population employed, the main employment industry is the construction.
Get more information by visiting the MPI website
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