New report says unauthorized immigrant population reaches new high during Biden-era border crisis
Key Takeaways
- Fox News reports a new study claims the unauthorized immigrant population has hit a record high during the Biden administration.
- The estimate is not an official U.S. government count; methodologies vary widely across research groups.
- The report allegedly links growth to increased border crossings and policy shifts; the administration has said it is expanding removals and lawful pathways.
- For immigrants and applicants, backlogs, work-permit waits, and enforcement uncertainty continue to shape daily decisions.
What the new report claims
A new report cited by Fox News asserts that the number of unauthorized immigrants living in the United States has reached a record level during the Biden administration’s border crisis. It has been reported that the authors attribute the increase to high levels of U.S.-Mexico border encounters, broadened use of parole (a temporary, discretionary entry under immigration law), and changes in enforcement priorities. The term “illegal immigrant,” used in the Fox News piece, generally refers to individuals without lawful immigration status—often also described as “undocumented” or “unauthorized.”
How estimates are made—and why they differ
There is no real-time, official U.S. government count of the unauthorized population. Independent estimates typically use a “residual” method: start with census data on the foreign-born population, subtract lawful residents (U.S. citizens, green card holders, refugees, certain nonimmigrant visa holders), and attribute the remainder to the unauthorized population. Different assumptions about census undercounts, overstays, and departures produce different totals. Public datasets also measure different things: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) publishes “encounters” at the border (a flow), while the unauthorized population is a stock. Prior nonpartisan estimates placed the population around 10–11 million in the late 2010s, while some advocacy groups claim higher figures; the new report cited by Fox News alleges a new peak but is not an official DHS (Department of Homeland Security) estimate.
What this means for immigrants, applicants, and employers
For people navigating the system now, the debate underscores ongoing uncertainty. Asylum seekers face lengthy adjudication timelines at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and in immigration courts; work authorization for asylum applicants generally requires waiting at least 150 days after filing before applying, and processing can add months. Parolees may be eligible for temporary work authorization but must renew on time to avoid lapses. Unauthorized workers risk heightened enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while employers must maintain I‑9 compliance amid shifting guidance. Policy responses to reports like this can affect resources for border processing, interior enforcement, and legal pathways—from Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations to family- and employment-based visa backlogs—so applicants should monitor filing windows, fee changes, and adjudication updates closely.
Source: Original Article