Data on International Migration and theForeign-Born Population from the U.S. Census Bureau

Elizabeth M. Grieco

Chief, Immigration Statistics Staff

Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau

Finding and Using the Best Immigration Data Resources: A Seminar on Immigration StatisticsMigration Policy Institute and Population Reference Bureau

October 16, 2008

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Purpose of PresentationReview some basic migration terms:• Immigrant, native, and foreign born• Flow vs. stock data• Census vs. survey data

Discuss the available data sources on:• Immigration/migrants (events/flows)• Foreign born (population)

Review several major Census Bureau data sources• Decennial Census• American Community Survey (ACS)• Other sources of survey data

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Things to Consider Before Looking for Data…• What do you want to know?• What data source, type of data would tell you what you

want to know?• Where can you find the data you want?

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Defining Terms: Immigrant, Foreign Born, and Native• Immigrant – Anyone admitted to the United States for lawful

permanent residence as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act– Legal permanent residents (LPRs) include “new arrivals” and

“adjustments of status”

• Foreign born – Anyone who is not a U.S. citizen at birth– The foreign born include naturalized U.S. citizens, LPRs,

temporary migrants, humanitarian migrants, people illegally present in the United States

– NOTE: The foreign-born population includes immigrants (LPRs).

• Native – Anyone who is a U.S. citizen at birth

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Population by Nativity and Place of Birth, for the United States: 2007

Nativity EstimateMargin of

error

Total 301,621,159 *****

Native 263,561,465 +/-119,487

Born in state of residence 177,509,272 +/-151,254

Born in other state in the United States 82,253,313 +/-133,503

Born outside the United States: 3,798,880 +/-37,555

Puerto Rico 1,476,974 +/-24,967

U.S. Island Areas or born abroad of American parent(s) 2,321,906 +/-29,119

Foreign born 38,059,694 +/-119,489

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 American Community Survey

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Defining Terms:Cautionary Notes• U.S. definition of “foreign born” different from other countries

– U.S. excludes those born abroad of at least one American citizen parent (“natives”) as foreign born

– Other countries, e.g., Australia, include everyone born outside as foreign born

– Exercise caution if comparing with data from other countries

• When analyzing microdata,watch who you include as foreign born– Place of birth – the country where a person was born– Citizenship – the person’s citizenship status– Place of birth alone will give you all persons born abroad, including

citizens born abroad, so need to cross these variables for foreign-born population

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Defining Terms: Flow vs. Stock Data• Flow data – The collection or summation of events

during a certain period, such as a year– Examples: vital statistics (e.g., births, deaths), administrative or

work load statistics (e.g., nonimmigrant admissions, naturalizations, refugee arrivals, visas issued)

• Stock data – The number of persons at a given date– Examples: survey and census data (e.g., population size by

age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, or place of birth)

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Flow Data: Examples• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – Administrative/Work

Load Statistics– Yearbook of Immigration Statistics

– LPR arrivals/adjustments, refugee arrivals, asylees, naturalizations, nonimmigrant admissions, enforcement actions

– H-1B application statistics

– Temporary Protected Status (TPS) application statistics

– Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) statistics

• State Department – Visa Issuance Statistics• Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) – Foreign Tourist

Arrival Statistics• Department of Labor (DOL) – Foreign Labor Certification Statistics

These are not population counts! However, DHS Office of Immigration Statistics and other researchers use stock and flow data and various methodologies to estimate the size of some of thesepopulations…

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Stock Data: Uses and SourcesUSES:• Can help answer: how many? what kind? where?

TYPES OF DATA SOURCES:• Censuses provide counts of the population

– U.S. Census of the Population

(e.g., Census 2000 Short Form/100% Data; Census 2010 Data)

• Surveys are statistical samples used to estimate the size and characteristics of the population– U.S. Census of the Population

(e.g., Census 2000 Long Form/Sample Data)– American Community Survey– Current Population Survey– Others

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Census Data on the Foreign Born:ExamplesFederally-funded, nationally-representative surveys are the best sources of stock data on the foreign born

Examples of what you can do with the data:• Population size• Trends through time• Characteristics (e.g., country of birth)• Distribution and level of geography

Note: Much of this data and information are readily availableon the Census Bureau’s website (e.g., as microdata to download, as tabulated data, maps, etc.)

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Foreign-Born Population: 1990, 2000, and 2007 (in millions)

Sources: 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses, 2007 American Community Survey.

1990 2000 2007

Total population 248.7 281.4 301.6

Total foreign born 19.8 31.1 38.1

Foreign born as percent of total population

7.9 11.1 12.6

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Number of Foreign Born and the Foreign-Born Population as a Percent of the Total Population of the United States: 1960 to 2007

6.2 7.9 11.1 12.65.4 4.7

9.7 9.6

14.1

19.8

31.1

38.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2007

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census of the United States, 1960 to 2000, and the American Community Survey, 2007.

Per

cent

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Mill

ions

Percent of total population Number of foreign born

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Percent Distribution of the Foreign-Born Population by Region of Birth, for the United States: 1960 to 2007

75.061.7

39.022.9

15.8 13.1

9.8

8.7

6.5

9.4

19.4

33.1

44.351.7 53.6

5.1 8.919.3 26.3 26.4 26.8

4.02.7 2.2

0.7 1.3 2.1 2.5 3.4 4.3

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2007

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census of the United States, 1960 to 2000, and the American Community Survey, 2007.

Europe Northern America Latin America Asia Other

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M0501. Percent of People Who Are Foreign Born: 2007 Universe: Total populationData Set: 2007 American Community Survey 1-Year EstimatesSource: American FactFinder (http://factfinder.census.gov)

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United StatesS0201. Selected Population Profile in the United States  Country of Birth: Mexico

Total population 301,621,159 ***** 11,738,537 +/-86,128

One race 97.8% +/-0.1 99.0% +/-0.1

Tw o races 2.0% +/-0.1 0.9% +/-0.1

Three races 0.1% +/-0.1 0.0% +/-0.1

Four or more races 0.0% +/-0.1 0.0% +/-0.1

Male 49.3% +/-0.1 55.9% +/-0.2

Female 50.7% +/-0.1 44.1% +/-0.2

Under 5 years 6.9% +/-0.1 0.7% +/-0.1

5 to 17 years 17.7% +/-0.1 8.7% +/-0.2

18 to 24 years 9.9% +/-0.1 12.4% +/-0.2

25 to 34 years 13.3% +/-0.1 27.8% +/-0.2

35 to 44 years 14.4% +/-0.1 24.2% +/-0.2

45 to 54 years 14.6% +/-0.1 14.1% +/-0.2

55 to 64 years 10.9% +/-0.1 6.8% +/-0.1

65 to 74 years 6.4% +/-0.1 3.2% +/-0.1

75 years and over 6.1% +/-0.1 2.0% +/-0.1

Median age (years) 36.7 +/-0.1 35.1 +/-0.2

18 years and over 75.5% +/-0.1 90.6% +/-0.2

21 years and over 71.1% +/-0.1 86.2% +/-0.2

62 years and over 15.2% +/-0.1 6.7% +/-0.1

65 years and over 12.5% +/-0.1 5.2% +/-0.1

Subject Total population Mexico

TOTAL NUMBER OF RACES REPORTED

Margin of Error

SEX AND AGE

Data Set: 2007 American Community Survey 1-Year EstimatesSurvey: American Community Survey

Margin of Error

Source: American FactFinder (http://factf inder.census.gov)

Selected Population Profiles

Iterations for over 100 foreign-born groups

For nation, states, and other geographic areas that have a total population of 500,000and group population of 65,000 or more

Additional social, economic, and demographic information on the foreign born not previously available from other ACS tables (e.g., fertility, disability, family income, poverty of individuals, etc.)

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Select Sources That Include Data on the Foreign Born in the United States

• Population and Housing Decennial Censuses

• American Community Survey (ACS)

• Other Relevant Surveys

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Decennial Census – Quick Facts

Purpose: Apportionment of House seats among the states

Universe: Entire U.S. resident population(households and group quarters)

Frequency: Every 10 years (since 1790)Format: Short and long forms for Census 2000 but

short form only for Census 2010Geography: National and extensive sub-national

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American Community Survey – Quick Facts

Purpose: Provide timely data at national andextensive sub-national geography levels

Universe: U.S. resident population(3 million housing units in sample)

Frequency: Yearly estimates based on July 1 population

Geography: Nation, state, county and, place (2005) and extensive sub-national (2008 forward)

(65,000+ available now; 20,000+ in 3-year estimates available in December 2008; every geography down to block group level in 5-year estimates available in 2010)

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American Community Survey – Key Migration Items

In addition to all of the other items on the ACS:• Place of birth/nativity (not country of citizenship)• U.S. citizenship• Year of naturalization (beginning in 2008 ACS)• Year of entry• Migration history (residence 1 year ago)• Race, ethnicity (Hispanic origin), ancestry • Language spoken at home

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Comparing 2007 ACS Data to Census 2000 Data

• Global differences exist – e.g., residency rules, universes, reference periods

• For most population and housing subjects, comparisons can be made– Place of birth, citizenship, nativity, language can be compared

– Year of entry can be compared (watch reference periods)

– Residence 1 year ago (ACS) should not be compared to residence 5 years ago (Census 2000)

• “How to Use the Data” – www.census.gov/acs/www/UseData

• “Comparing ACS to Other Sources”– www.census.gov/acs/www/UseData/compACS.htm

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ACS Margin of Errors (MOEs)

• MOE describes the precision of an estimate at a given level of confidenceMargin of Error = 1.645 x Standard Error

• Census Bureau’s statistical standard: 90 percent confidence level

• Users should conduct statistical testing to determine if two estimates are statistically different– This is especially important for small population groups because of

large margins of error

• “Data Users Handbook”– www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/Handbook2006.pdf

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Elizabeth M. Grieco

Chief, Immigration Statistics Staff

Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau

301-763-5275

Elizabeth.M.Grieco@census.gov

Demographic Call Center Staff

(301) 763-2422

1-866-758-1060

Contact Information

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• American Housing Survey (AHS)

• American Time Use Survey (ATUS)

• Current Population Survey (CPS)

• National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

• National Prisoner Statistics (NPS)

• National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG)

• New York City Housing Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS)

• Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD)

• Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

Other Surveys Including Information About the Foreign Born

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Useful Websites with Data on Migration and the Foreign BornU.S. Census Bureau:

www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau Foreign-Born Population Homepage:

www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/foreign.html

American FactFinder (for Census and ACS data):

factfinder.census.gov

(including the Selected Population Profiles)

Maps in American FactFinder:

factfinder.census.gov/jsp/saff/SAFFInfo.jsp?_pageId=gn7_maps

Data Ferrett (for Census, ACS, and CPS data):

dataferrett.census.gov

Other Data Access Tools (e.g., for downloading public use Census Bureau data):

www.census.gov/main/www/access.html

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Useful Websites with Data on Migrationand the Foreign Born (continued)

DHS Office of Immigration Statistics (including Yearbook of Immigration Statistics):

www.dhs.gov/immigrationstatistics

(see the right-hand side on the Data & Statistics page at

www.dhs.gov/ximgtn/statistics/data for more links)

Department of State Visa Issuance Statistics:

travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/statistics/statistics_1476.html

SEVIS International Students/Exchange Visitor Data:

www.ice.gov/sevis/numbers

University of Minnesota IPUMS Project (for Census and CPS data):

www.ipums.umn.edu

University of Minnesota International IPUMS Project (for international data):

international.ipums.org/international

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Information from Secondary Sources, e.g., Think Tanks, Advocacy GroupsNote: Data presented often secondary, information presented for reason; use judiciously, with caution.

Migration Policy Institute (www.migrationpolicy.org)

Migration Information Source (www.migrationinformation.org)

Center for Immigration Studies (www.cis.org)

Urban Institute (www.urban.org)

Pew Hispanic Center (www.pewhispanic.org)

Brookings Institute (www.brookings.edu)

Federation for American Immigration Reform (www.fairus.org)

NumbersUSA (www.numbersusa.org)

American Immigration Lawyers Association (www.aila.org)

Immigration Policy Center (www.aila.org/ipc)

American Immigration Law Foundation (www.ailf.org)

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International Data Sources

Note: Compare U.S. and international data carefully, asconcepts and definitions may make the data not directlycomparable (e.g., foreigner vs. foreign born).

United Nations Population Division (www.un.org/esa/population/unpop.htm)

United Nations Statistics Division (unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/default.htm)

United Nations Population Information Network (www.un.org/popin)

IOM (www.iom.int/jahia/jsp/index.jsp)

Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (www.cic.gc.ca)

INEGI (www.inegi.gob.mx)

CONAPO (www.conapo.gob.mx)

Eurostat (ec.europa.eu/eurostat)

International Statistical Agencies: (www.census.gov/main/www/stat_int.html)

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