1 out of 4 U.S. residents were born abroad or their parents were born abroad

• If present trends continue, the foreign-born share of the population will reach 14.9 percent of the U.S. population in August next year, surpassing the all-time highs reached in 1910 (14.7 percent) and 1890 (14.8 percent). [Update: as of mid-2024, the % is now 15.0%]
• In addition to the immigrants themselves, there are also 17.2 million U.S.-born children (under age 18) with an immigrant parent — immigrants and their children now account for one in five U.S. residents (65 million).

Foreign-Born Population Hits Nearly 48 Million (cis.org)

Another way to look at this, from a 20-year-old, dated survey of adults only (children under 18 were not included the survey – so the actual percentages would be significantly higher than these values):

• 7% of adults surveyed said they were an immigrant
• 18% said one or more parents were immigrants (my wife’s Dad was born in Canada, for example)
• That is 25% are either immigrants or the child of one or more immigrants.
• 40% said one or more grandparents were immigrants (one of my wife’s grandparents was born in Canada)

We assume that most of those immigrants were legal immigrants, but that is not specified.

ChatGPT says that 26% of the U.S. population has at least one immigrant parent, and that 40-50% of the U.S. population has at least one recent immigrant ancestor (e.g. grandparents, etc). Chat GPT suggests that combining both immigrant parents and immigrant grandparent groups (likely not overlapping that much), a majority of the U.S. population has close immigrant family ties.

From multiple sources, therefore, a majority of the U.S. population has close immigrant family ties.

The Pew survey did not include those under 18, and if children were included, this would be higher.

A reasonable guestimate is that most U.S. residents have close immigrant ties within their family.

This illustrates the critical importance for those born in the U.S, who lack international connections, to make plans to develop global skillsets. Immediately.