Origins

• A map of the United States' number one source of immigrantsHemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  In 2009 Mexico was the number-one source country of immigrants to the United States, contributing approximately 14.6 percent of new migrants or 164,067 individuals. China followed Mexico by contributing 6 percent of immigrants to the states. After Mexico and China's numbers come the Philippines (5.3 percent), India (5.1 percent), the Dominican Republic (4.4 percent), Cuba (3.4 percent) and Vietnam (2.6 percent).
  
  

Destinations

• In 2009 the states that the most immigrants moved to were California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey. Approximately 62 percent of all legal immigrants lived in these six states. The top three metropolitan areas where these immigrants settled were as follows:
  
  1. New York (NY), Northern New Jersey, Long Island;
  
  2. Los Angeles, Long Beach and Santa Ana (CA);
  
  3. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Pompano Beach (FL).
  
  

Foreign-Born Residents

• In 2008 approximately 12.5 percent of the U.S. population was foreign-born, translating to about 38 million people. Of those 38 million people, it was estimated that one-third were naturalized citizens, one-third were legal permanent residents, and one-third were unauthorized residents (illegal aliens). Due to the downturn in the economy, the majority of immigrants who fell under the family reunification policy were older, as fewer people were immigrating for employment.
  
  

Assimilation

• Over the years the percentage of English-speaking immigrants has increased. In 1910 nearly one-third of all immigrants could not speak English (excluding immigrants born in English-speaking nations). However, as of 2007 only 10 percent of immigrants reported that they could not speak English, marking a drastic increase in the number of English-speaking immigrants. These numbers, however, do not reflect the level of fluency of immigrants who claimed they spoke English.