A recent analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies has found that approximately 3.8 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States during President Joe Biden’s time in office, bringing the total illegal immigrant population to around 13.8 million. This has resulted in a record high of 15.6% of the population now being foreign born, surpassing the previous record set in 1890.
The Immigration Act of 1907 signed by President Theodore Roosevelt greatly restricted immigration into the U.S., leading to a significant decrease in the number of foreign-born individuals until the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 liberalized immigration policy. Since then, the percentage of foreign born has steadily increased.
With the rise in the foreign-born population, feelings of alienation and divisiveness have also increased. Research indicates that in ethnically diverse neighborhoods, trust, altruism, and community cooperation are lower. This lack of connection may explain why many Americans view immigration as the top issue facing the country, with illegal immigration being seen as a critical threat by 55% of people.
President Biden, who had promised during his campaign to welcome an additional 2 million immigrants, has actually exceeded this promise by allowing 3.8 million immigrants to enter the country.
