Recency of Arrival: Though immigration has slowed nationwide, California continues to be home to large communities of both new and long-settled immigrants.

Each indicator page features a series of charts, insights and analysis, case studies, resources, and related indicators.

• The length of residency of California’s immigrant population varies by racial group. Data from 2021 showed that among Latino immigrants, a larger share (57%) moved to the U.S. more than 20 years ago. Among Black immigrants, a larger share (60%) immigrated to the U.S. within the past 20 years.
• Among Black immigrants, a majority of Belizean, Haitian, and Jamaican immigrants living in California have been in the U.S. for more than 20 years.
• Among Asian American immigrants, most Southeast Asian immigrants, including, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong, and Lao immigrants have lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years, as many were resettled in the U.S. following wars in their home countries in the 1970s.
• While many Californians come from Asia and Latin American and have lived here for decades, more recent immigrants also hail from these regions. In recent years, larger numbers of immigrants have arrived from countries like India and China. Since 2021 there has also been an increase in the number of immigrants coming from Latin American countries, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.
• Since 2022 and as of February 2024, Texas Governor Greg Abbott transported over 102,000 migrants to other cities across the U.S. Between June and November 2023, it was estimated that about 1,000 migrants were transported to Los Angeles.
• Although seeking asylum is a human right under U.S. law, the federal government has continued to restrict this right at the southern border. Following the end of the Title 42 order in May 2023, President Biden established the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Rule (CLP), otherwise known as the transit ban. This establishes a presumption that an individual is ineligible for asylum unless they are granted parole prior to their arrival in the U.S., presented themselves at the border at a pre-determined time and place, or were denied protection in a third country. However, legal advocates have sued the Biden administration, noting the illegality of this rule and the violation of protections for migrants who are fleeing precarious and life-threatening circumstances. Further, legal advocates have also proposed attainable approaches to manage migration at the southern border such as expanding lawful pathways for people to enter the U.S. and equipping cities with the necessary resources to support recent arrivals. As litigation continues, the asylum transit ban remains in place.
• Undocumented immigrants, many who are long-settled and have established families and networks, face the imminent threat of deportation. In 2021, about 69% of undocumented Californians had been living in the U.S. for more than a decade.
• Length of residency impacts an individual’s likelihood and eligibility to naturalize, which can explain why a large share of the naturalized population has been living in the U.S. for many years. Statewide, as of 2021, about 51% of naturalized citizens had been living in the U.S. for more than 30 years.

• Organizations:
  • American Civil Liberties Union
  • Black Alliance for Just Immigration
  • Kids in Need of Defense
  • Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans
• Reports: 
  • San Diego County Refugee Experiences Report
  • “There is a Target on Us” The Impact of Anti-Black Racism on African Migrants at Mexico’s Southern Border
  • The Invisible Wall: Title 42 and its Impact on Haitian Migrants
  • Measuring In Absentia Removal in Immigration Court
  • Failing Our Liberian Neighbors: Eligibility and Application Rates Under Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness
  • “You Will Never See Your Child Again:" The Persistent Psychological Effects of Family Separation
  • The Detention of Immigrant Children with Disabilities in California: A Snapshot
  • The State of Black Immigrants
• Articles:
  • Data Snapshot: The Number of Black Immigrants in the US Continues to Rise
  • USCIS Finalizes Increase in Fees for Immigration-Related Applications
  • A Solvable Challenge: Improving Asylee Access to Health and Other Benefits
  • Federal judge approves settlement barring migrant family separations
  • ‘We Can’t Claim Mission Accomplished’: A Long Road for Afghan Refugees
  • GOP governors sent buses of migrants to D.C. and NYC – with no plan for what’s next
  • As California Welcomes Ukrainian Refugees, Counties Fall Short on Interpreters
  • The “Migrant Protection Protocols”: an Explanation of the Remain in Mexico Program
  • At least 5,000 families were forcibly separated during the Trump administration. The work of reunifying them is painfully incomplete.
  • Family Separation: A Timeline
  • Black Immigrants in the United States Face Hurdles, but Outcomes Vary by City
  • We are Here: Indigenous Diaspora in Los Angeles
  • A Translation Crisis at the Border: For migrants who speak Mayan languages, a grassroots group of interpreters is often their only hope for receiving asylum
  • Climate Change is Altering Migration Patterns Regionally and Globally
  • Climate Migration 101: An Explainer
  • Unaccompanied Children
• Resources:
  • Immigration Detention Quick Facts