Misperceptions About Immigration to the US: What the Evidence Shows

By Carola Suárez-Orozco
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This brief distills leading research to challenge dominant myths about immigration and highlight their harms for immigrant-origin children. Drawing on evidence from the National Academy of Sciences, Pew, Migration Policy Institute, and others, it shows that while the U.S. has more immigrants in absolute numbers than ever, the share of foreign‑born residents (about 13–14%) is comparable to the early 20th century and lower than in many peer countries. U.S. immigration law is highly restrictive and complex, offers few legal pathways, and admits fewer immigrants per capita than most OECD nations.

The analysis documents that most immigrants hold some form of legal status; visa overstays now outnumber unlawful border crossings as the primary source of new undocumented residents, and the undocumented population has remained relatively stable at around 11 million, many living in long‑established, mixed‑status families. Evidence refutes claims that immigrants drive crime, abuse public benefits, or harm overall economic performance: immigrants have lower crime and incarceration rates than U.S.-born individuals, are largely ineligible for federal safety‑net programs, and contribute substantially in taxes. Research finds net positive long‑term economic and fiscal impacts, with immigrants filling critical labor shortages, fueling entrepreneurship and innovation, and their children becoming especially strong contributors as education and incomes rise across generations.

Finally, the brief shows that immigrants and their children learn English and integrate over time, often more quickly than earlier cohorts, with clear intergenerational gains in education, earnings, occupational status, neighborhood integration, and civic engagement. Yet pervasive misperceptions and hostile rhetoric create harmful contexts of reception for the one‑quarter of U.S. children growing up in immigrant families, undermining their well‑being and sense of belonging. The brief calls on policymakers and practitioners to counter disinformation, strengthen educational and integration supports, and build inclusive environments that allow immigrant‑origin children to thrive and continue the longstanding tradition of intergenerational progress.