Immigrant and refugee statistics

As of 2006, there were 37.5 million immigrants in the United States — about 13 percent of the population.

In 2006, the leading countries of origin for refugees to the United States were Somalia, Russia and Cuba. Worldwide, they were Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, Sudan and the Palestinian territories.

In 2006, 14 percent of new legal U.S. residents were born in Mexico.

Legal immigration increased 13 percent between 2005 and 2006, from 1.1 million to 1.3 million. But the total number of refugees decreased 23 percent in the same time frame, due partly to increased security procedures following 9/11. That said, there are increasing numbers of countries represented over time, with fewer people in each group.

Illegal immigration to the United States may be as high as 1.5 million people per year.

Sources: 2006 U.S. Census Bureau statistics, 2005 U.S. Department of Homeland Security