2023 Immigration Statistics For Atlanta GA
The professionals from Tadeo & Silva Immigration Attorneys present your guide to the 2023 Immigration statistics for Atlanta GA. Contact us for more information!
Author: Massiel Silva Tadeo, Founder, Tadeo & Silva
Author: Massiel Silva Tadeo, Founder, Tadeo & SilvaAttorney Massiel Silva Tadeo is a partner and owner at The Tadeo & Silva Law Firm. She specializes in removal (deportation) defense, family immigration, and hardship waivers. Updated on: November 07, 2022.
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Immigrants Residing In the State of Georgia
According to many types of research and statistics, like the one conducted by the American Immigration Council, the State of Georgia has a large and diverse immigrant population, with most immigrants coming from Mexico. In 2018, 1.1 million immigrants or foreign-born individuals comprised 10 percent of the Georgia population.
According to a 2020 survey, one in ten Georgians was born abroad. The city also has approximately 7 percent of native-born citizens with one immigrant parent.
Georgia immigrant communities have contributed billions of dollars in state and local taxes. Georgia also benefits from foreign national residents’ economic and labor force participation. In fact, it is estimated that immigrants account for one-quarter of all fisher, forester, farmer, as well as computer and math science employees.
Whether you are migrating to Georgia to reunite with your family, get away from the persecution and violence in your home country, or pursue new employment opportunities, know that there are many like you in this state.
How Many Immigrants Are in Atlanta, Georgia?
As immigration returned to pre-pandemic levels, the number of immigrants in Atlanta, GA, and other parts of the U.S. continued to grow.
The report Immigrants and Opportunity in America’s Cities from The George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, published in December 2022, estimates that Atlanta is home to 843,540 foreign-born residents. In percentages, the foreign-born population accounts for 13.9% of the total population.
The same report ranks Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA metro area as the 22nd best area for immigrants.
A Vera Institute of Justice info-graphic published in 2020 showed that over 777.000 immigrants lived in Atlanta, GA. More than 404,000 children in Atlanta have at least one immigrant parent.
At the same time, more than 437,500 non-citizens currently living in Atlanta are potentially at risk of ICE deportation.
Bear in mind that the U.S. immigration system and Georgia Immigration Laws can be complex. If you need help obtaining a visa or adjusting your legal status, retaining the services of a skilled immigration lawyer may be the smartest move.
Immigration Statistics in the U.S.
Individuals who access the legal immigration system are typically classified as immigrants and non-immigrants. While immigrants are those who wish to work and reside in the U.S. permanently, those who come to work, visit, or study temporarily in the U.S. are considered non-immigrants.
How Many Immigrants Are Currently in the U.S.?
There were 12.9 million individuals with lawful permanent resident (LPR) status in the U.S. on January 1, 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) administrative records. According to the report, of the 12.9 million LPRs, 9.2 million met the naturalization length of residency and age requirements for a legal permanent resident and were potentially eligible to become naturalized citizens.
More than 25% of the LPRs eligible to naturalize in 2022 were from Mexico. The following leading country of birth was China. The sex ratio among the population eligible to naturalize leaned slightly against females (51%) and continued to skew toward older age groups.
Additional reports on lawful permanent residents in 2021 showed that about 740,000 individuals became green card holders (LPRs) in 2021.
The majority were already in the United States when they obtained lawful permanent residence and were granted LPR immigration status based on a family relationship with a current LPR or a U.S. citizen.
How Many Non-Immigrants Are in the U.S.?
It is estimated that in 2021, DHS granted 35 million non-immigrant admissions to the United States. That includes 14 million admissions of non-immigrants who were issued Form I-94. Of the 14 million I-94 admissions, 76 percent were temporary visitors for business and pleasure, 14% were temporary workers and their families, and 5.9 percent were international students and their families.
Mexico, Canada, and Colombia are among the leading countries of citizenship of non-immigrants filing for I-94 admission. On the other hand, the most frequently reported states of destination in 2021 were Florida, Texas, and California.
Individuals with Unauthorized Immigration Status
Besides immigrants and non-immigrants, there are foreign nationals born abroad who were admitted temporarily but remained after their departure date or who illegally entered the U.S. These individuals are considered unauthorized immigrants. Additionally, unauthorized immigrants do not include asylum-seekers or refugees.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that 11.4 million unauthorized immigrants lived in the U.S. on January 1, 2018. Slightly fewer than 50 percent of the unauthorized immigrants came from Mexico. California and Texas were the leading states of residence of the unauthorized population in 2018, with 2.6 million and 1.9 million people. The State of Georgia was in seventh place.
The State of Georgia Immigration Statistic
It is estimated that almost 200,000 people in Georgia were eligible to naturalize in 2021. While California was the state of residence of 18% of foreign nationals granted LPR status in 2021, 2.7% of them were living in Georgia. So, over 20,000 individuals in Georgia were granted LPR status in 2021. Almost 70% of them were through adjustment of status, while around 30% were new arrivals.
Non-immigrant admissions (I-94 only) in 2021 when it comes to Georgia are estimated to be 274,610. However, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it was estimated there were 380.000 unauthorized immigrants in Georgia in 2018.
Although the American Immigration Council fact sheet considers data from 2018 and before, it reveals more detail about Georgia’s immigrant population. For example, around 400,000 undocumented immigrants lived in the state in 2016, making up 36% of the immigrant population and 4% of the total population. In fact, more than half a million people, including 236,000 U.S. citizens in Georgia, lived with at least one undocumented family member between 210 and 2014.
In 2018, approximately 13% of the state’s workforce was composed of immigrants. Construction and extraction, computer and mathematics fields, and farming, fishing, and forestry had the largest shares of immigrant workers.
It may be interesting that in 2018, around 88,000 immigrant business owners accounted for 17% of all self-employed Georgia residents. Also, nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of business owners in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta metropolitan area were immigrants.
If you are among business owners or managers who would like to use immigration policy to advance their career or company, it may be a good idea to carefully consider your legal choices to avoid any issues with the help of a business immigration lawyer.
How Many People Move to Atlanta Each Year?
The Atlanta Regional Commission’s data shows that around 65,000 people moved into the 11-county Atlanta region between 2021 and 2022, bringing the total to 5,1 million. The population estimate is for the 12-month period ending April 2022.
Each of Atlanta’s region counties saw a population increase in that period, with Gwinnett County welcoming the newest residents – 13,460, more than any other county. In terms of percentages, the strongest growth on a percentage basis is seen in Henry County (2.7%).
The City of Atlanta added 5,070 new residents between 2021 and 2022, up from 3,230 last year.
Similar research conducted in a different time period (2015-2019) showed that outside Metro Atlanta areas within the U.S. or Puerto Rico contributed the most migrants to Atlanta during that period. However, over 15,000 people moved to Atlanta from Asia and over 5,000 from Africa. Approximately 5,000 people moved to Atlanta from Europe, Central America, and South America in the same period.
Tadeo & Silva Immigration Attorneys Can Help Immigrants Become Atlanta GA Lawful Permanent Residents
Whether you need help obtaining an immigrant visa or becoming a lawful permanent resident, resolving the immigration or citizenship status of your immediate relatives, adjusting your status, or need help with business immigration, make sure you hire a top immigration lawyer in Atlanta.
Failure to follow immigration laws or secure the appropriate documentation or permissions may lead to harsh consequences, including deportation, an immigration ban, or business failure. Hiring an immigration law firm such as Tadeo & Silva Immigration Attorneys can help you avoid some common pitfalls in immigration applications.
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