Author Description

Statistical data on immigration have been published annually by the U.S. government since the 1860s. Over the years, the federal agencies responsible for reporting on immigration have changed, as have the content, format, and title of the annual publication. Currently, immigration data are published in the Yearbook of Immigration Statistics by the Office of Immigration Statistics in the Policy Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security. The 2014 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics consists of a compendium of tables organized by subject matter, including: Lawful Permanent Residents (Tables 1 to 12) Lawful permanent residents (LPRs) are persons who have been granted lawful permanent residence in the United States. They are also known as "green card" recipients. Refugees and Asylees (Tables 13 to 19) Refugees and asylees are persons who sought residence in the United States in order to avoid persecution in their country of origin. Persons granted refugee status applied for admission while outside the United States. Persons granted asylum applied either at a port of entry or at some point after their entry into the United States. Naturalizations (Tables 20 to 24) Naturalizations refer to persons aged 18 and over who become citizens of the United States. Most lawful permanent residents are eligible to apply for naturalization within five years after obtaining LPR status. Nonimmigrant Admissions (Tables 25 to 32) Nonimmigrant admissions refer to arrivals of persons who are authorized to stay in the United States for a limited period of time. Most nonimmigrants enter the United States as tourists or business travelers, but some come to work, study, or engage in cultural exchange programs. Enforcement Actions (Tables 33 to 41) Enforcement actions include foreign nationals who are determined inadmissible, apprehended, removed or returned for violating the Immigration and Nationality Act. These actions occur at the borders of the United States, in the interior of the c