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FACT BRIEF

Have fewer legal immigrants been coming to the US in recent years?

By EconoFact
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YES

In 2020 and 2021, the number of immigrants arriving in the U.S. decreased substantially. The Trump administration closed the borders with Mexico and Canada in March 2020 in response to COVID-19, and also placed restrictions on international arrivals. Visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world was severely disrupted, leading to a decline in the inflow of foreign nationals on temporary visas. According to the Department of State, the slowdown in visa processing generated many fewer visa entries and a backlog of more than 460,000 people with unprocessed visas as of late 2021. The number of permanent residents arriving in the U.S. also fell substantially. Statistical estimates for fiscal year 2020, which runs from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020, indicate a decrease of immigrant visas of 45% and a decrease of nonimmigrant visas of 54% relative to the previous fiscal year.  

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Sources
US Department of State National Visa Center (NVC) Immigrant Visa Backlog Report
Migration Policy Institute The 'Trump Effect' on Legal Immigration Levels: More Perception than Reality?
New York Times Trump Administration Plans to Extend Virus Border Restrictions Indefinitely
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EconoFact
EconoFact is a non-partisan publication designed to bring key facts and incisive analysis to the national debate on economic and social policies. Launched in January 2017, it is written by leading academic economists from across the country who belong to the EconoFact Network. It is published by the Edward R. Murrow Center for a Digital World at The Fletcher School at Tufts University.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.