Legal Immigration to the United States by Year

The number of people gaining permanent residency in the United States has increased by huge amounts since WWII.
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5 Comments
+3
Level 71
Sep 27, 2021
I wonder what's up with the huge spike in 1991. Gulf War? Collapse of the Soviet Union? Or just coincidence?

(Incidentally, my parents moved to America the year after, in 1992. I guess the early 90s were a particularly popular time to come to America.)

+3
Level ∞
Sep 27, 2021
I'm not sure. Reagan signed an immigration amnesty act in 1986 which made millions of illegal immigrants eligible for permanent legal immigration. Perhaps it took a few years for the applications to go through.
+7
Level 85
Sep 27, 2021
That dip during WW2 is pretty grim, given that the US was turning away boatloads of Jewish refugees at the time.
+2
Level ∞
Apr 30, 2025
Agree although the U.S. record when it comes to toleration of Jews is far superior to that of nearly every other country.
+1
Level 63
May 19, 2024
As a percentage of population?

Lemmie try