The number of unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. reached a record high of 14 million in 2023, according to a new Pew Research report. But due to shifting federal policies, that trend appears to be reversing.

The report notes that for decades, the nation's overall immigrant population has been climbing. In January of this year, 53.3 million immigrants lived in the U.S. But as of June, the population shrank by more than one million — the first decline since the 1960s.

"Immigrants come and go to the country, so that ebb and flow is part of the story," said Dr. Mark Hugo Lopez, director of race and ethnicity research at Pew Research Center. "People are leaving, but what's changed is how many people are coming to the United States. Changes in policy have made it harder, during the Biden years, but also Trump years, for immigrants to cross the border and seek asylum. So that flow has significantly dropped."

Policy impact on immigration numbers

In the two-year period between 2021 and 2023, the unauthorized immigrant population increased by 3.5 million. In 2023, 2.1 million unauthorized immigrants lived in Texas — the second-highest number of any state.

The "unauthorized immigrant" label refers to those in this country without permanent status or active visas. 

According to researchers, this post-pandemic growth was driven primarily by the rise of unauthorized immigrants with some deportation protections. This population includes those paroled into the country under the Biden administration and asylum-seekers.

While data is still being collected for 2024 and 2025, Pew Research preliminary data shows that changes in federal policy in mid-2024 have slowed that growth. In his last several months in office, the Biden administration stopped accepting asylum applications at the southern border and paused parole programs. And since President Donald Trump took office in January, he has increased immigration enforcement, leading to more deportations and self-deportations.

Unauthorized immigrants in the workforce

The number of unauthorized immigrants in the workforce also rose post-pandemic, from 7.8 million in 2021 to about 9.7 million in 2023 — accounting for 5.6%. This population made up 9% Texas' workforce in 2023.

"That's an important number to know," Lopez said. "It's not huge, but it's not small, and in some fields ... there is a greater concentration of unauthorized immigrants."

Across the country, unauthorized immigrants work in essentially every industry, but have the highest concentration in farming, construction and service occupations. Researchers said if this population continues to decline, there could be an economic impact. 

"It could have impacts on the ability of companies to be able to fulfill their orders," said Lopez. "It could have an impact on how many workers are available to harvest crops, and that could have impacts, ultimately, on prices for food and other goods."

Click here to read the full Pew Research report.