US President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to deport millions of immigrants living in the United States illegally once he takes office on January 20. His defiant initiative could divide families and affect American businesses.
There are about 11 million immigrants living illegally or temporarily in the United States, according to data from 2022. That figure has risen to 13 or 14 million, some analysts say.
Immigrants with temporary residence permits cannot be immediately deported and can live in "sanctuary" states, which limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
California is the state with the most immigrants living illegally in the United States, with about 2.2 in 2022, according to estimates from the Center for Immigration Studies in New York.
Texas is second with 1.8 million, followed by Florida (936,000), New York (672,000), New Jersey (495,000) and Illinois (429,000). California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois — all Democratic strongholds - are among the 11 countries that have "housing" laws or policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, according to the Legal Immigration Resource Center.
About 44% of immigrants living illegally in the US were in states that offer "safe haven" status in 2022, according to the center's estimates. This number does not include those who live in such cities and counties in places without a state-level law, such as New Mexico.
Most immigrants who are apprehended by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are caught crossing the border illegally.
Law enforcement in states that offer "safe haven" status typically refuse to notify ICE when they detain or release an immigrant eligible for deportation.
Almost half of the immigrants living illegally in the US in 2022 came from Mexico, or 4.8 million out of a total of 11 million, according to a report by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The other countries were Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
Since January 2022, about 2 million immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela have been caught crossing the border illegally or allowed in through Biden-era humanitarian programs, according to DHS statistics.
Trump aims to end Biden's programs, including one for sponsored immigrants to the US and another that allows immigrants in Mexico to use an app to enter through a legal border crossing.
The vast majority of immigrants living illegally in the US in 2022 were of working age, according to the DHS report. About 8.7 million of the 11 million were aged 18-54.
Farm groups have called on Trump to spare their workers from his promised deportations, arguing that their removal would disrupt the US food supply chain.
Research institutions and the US Government have different estimates of the number of agricultural workers living illegally in the US. The Center for Immigration Studies in New York concluded that the total number was 283,000 in 2022, about half of them in California.
US Government estimates suggest that the total number nationally may be closer to 1 million.
The immigration advocacy group FWD.us predicted that by January 2025 there could be as many as 14.5 million immigrants without legal status, or with temporary protection, up from 11 million in 2022.
Of these, 10.1 million live with a US citizen or permanent resident in what is known as a "mixed-status household."
This mass deportation figure is likely to tear families apart and could affect millions of US citizens and permanent residents.
At least 5.1 million U.S. citizen children live with an immigrant parent without legal status, according to a FWD.us analysis based on government data.
These families may face the prospect of moving to another country together or being separated.
About 54% of immigrants living illegally in the US have lived in the country for more than 10 years, according to a report by the Center for Immigration Studies in New York.
About 25% live in the country for less than five years.
The Center for Immigration Studies and other research institutions used US Census data and other data to estimate that about 11 million immigrants in the US in 2022 were without legal immigration status or on temporary humanitarian protection .
Border statistics suggest that at least 5 million more immigrants have entered the US without legal status or with temporary humanitarian status since then.
However, some of these immigrants have been deported, left voluntarily, obtained legal status or died during the same period./REL (A2 Televizion)
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