Immigrants / "Foreign Born"The foreign-born population includes anyone who is not a U.S. citizen at birth, including those who become U.S. citizens through naturalization. The Census Bureau collects data from all foreign born who participate in its censuses and surveys, regardless of legal status.
Generational status: first, second, and third-and-higher generations
The Census Bureau uses the term generational status to refer to the place of birth of an individual or an individual’s parents. Questions on place of birth and parental place of birth are used to define the first, second, and third-and-higher generations. The first generation is composed of individuals who are foreign-born. The second generation refers to those with at least one foreign-born parent. The third-and-higher generation includes individuals with two U.S. native parents.
Data on parental place of birth
The Current Population Survey’s Annual Social and Economic Supplement includes two questions on parental place of birth: one on mother’s place of birth and a second on father’s place of birth. These data are used to determine generational status.
Data on legal immigration categories and status
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Immigration Statistics publishes statistics and reports based on administrative data, such as the number of persons obtaining legal permanent resident status, refugees and asylees, naturalizations, nonimmigrant admissions, and immigration enforcement actions. It also provides estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States.
The Census Bureau collects and publishes survey data on characteristics of foreign-born residents of the United States such as country of birth, U.S. citizenship status, and year of entry into the United States.
