More than half of U.S. immigrants are eligible to vote

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Fifty-three percent of immigrants in this country are naturalized citizens and eligible to vote. It is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish naturalized citizens from noncitizens by appearance, surnames, or facility with English alone, as the population of eligible voters also includes native-born offspring of previous generations of immigrants. 

Overview 

More than one-half (24.5 million) of the 46 million immigrants living in the United States are naturalized citizens, according to the United States Census Bureau. This group of naturalized citizens is larger than the entire population of Florida.  

Like their U.S.-born counterparts, naturalized citizens: 

• may vote in federal elections, 
• may apply for jobs requiring U.S. citizenship and security clearance, 
• may apply for a U.S. passport, 
• have access to a wide range of social services and benefits, have more legal protections than noncitizens and cannot be deported. 

Naturalized citizens must have been lawful permanent residents (aka “green card” holders) for at least five years, married to a U.S. citizen for at least three years, or currently serving or have previously served in the U.S. armed forces before beginning the naturalization process. Candidates for naturalized citizenship must also be at least 18 years old and pass an oral exam demonstrating knowledge (often surpassing that of the general public) of U.S. government and history. 

Because the population of naturalized citizens among immigrant residents in the Unites States is so significant, this post offers an examination of recent data on naturalized citizens by country of origin, by state, and by race/ethnicity. The analysis uses basic facts about immigrants and naturalized citizens from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS).   

What is the legal and voting status of immigrants?

Beginning as early as the founding of the country, the United States has been home to generations of immigrants as well as to their offspring who, by virtue of being born here, are citizens, regardless of their race, ethnicity, language spoken at home, or facility with English. Immigrants, by definition, are foreign-born, and may be naturalized citizens or noncitizens. Currently, the immigrant population includes 24.5 million naturalized citizens and 21.6 million noncitizens.  

Those immigrants who are noncitizens may be in one of four groups (none of whom have the right to vote in federal elections).  

• Lawful permanent residents ("green card" holders), who have the right to live in the United States indefinitely 
• Students, workers, or visitors with valid visas, who are authorized to live in the country temporarily 
• Refugees and asylees, who are authorized, before or after their arrival, to live in the United States (often for a limited time or under specified conditions)
• Unauthorized immigrants, who either entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas 

The legal and citizenship status of immigrants can change over time. For example, a foreign student may obtain a work visa after graduation, then a green card, and eventually become a naturalized citizen. Alternatively, a foreign worker may overstay a work visa and become unauthorized.

Much debate in the United States assumes most immigrants are in the country illegally. This is not true. More than half of U.S. immigrants have become naturalized citizens, and many of the remaining non-citizens have legal status. The American Community Survey collects data on place of birth, U.S. citizenship status, and year of entry. It does not collect data on the legal status of noncitizens, nor does any census or survey.

Leading origin countries for U.S. immigrants and naturalized citizens 

U.S. immigrants come from every country in the world. The top 20 sending countries account for 70 percent of the foreign-born population and 63 percent of the naturalized citizens. More than 60 percent of immigrants from Cuba, Germany, Haiti, Jamaica, Korea, Peru, the Philippines, and Vietnam are naturalized citizens. 

Home states for immigrants and naturalization status

Individuals who are immigrants, as well as naturalized citizens, are present in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Citizenship by race and Hispanic origin 

The distribution of U.S.-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and noncitizens varies across racial and ethnic groups. Most White and Black/African American residents are U.S.-born (95 and 89 percent, respectively). In contrast, 36 percent of Asians were born in the United States, and 39 percent were born abroad and became naturalized citizens (the largest percentage of naturalized citizens among racial and ethnic groups). 

Over two-thirds of Hispanics are U.S.-born, and thereby are citizens. Thirteen percent are naturalized citizens, and 19 percent are noncitizens whose legal status in the country is not identifiable in the data.  

Conclusion

Immigration–and by extension voting rights–are among topics dominating the news cycle in the run up to the November election. The facts regarding immigration, citizenship, and voter eligibility can be summarized as follows:

• 86 percent of the U.S. population was born here.
• Many Asians, Hispanics, and multiracial individuals are second generation Americans (or beyond). They are U.S.-born citizens and may vote. This is true for most race categories and ethnicities.
• 24.5 million immigrants, regardless of skin color or accent, are naturalized and can vote. 
• Naturalized citizens account for seven percent of the total U.S. population and nine percent of the voting-age population.  
• The distribution of citizenship status varies across racial and ethnic groups. While most immigrants are Hispanic or Asian, 81% of Hispanics and 75% of Asians are U.S. citizens, either by birth or by naturalization. 

The flood of attention to immigration and to the risk of noncitizen voting fueled the perception among Americans (reported in IPSOS’ 2022 “Perils of Perception” report) that immigrants accounted for as much as 33% of the U.S. population. The nation’s share of immigrants was less than half of that figure at its peak in 1890 (14.8 percent). Today, according to ACS data, immigrants make up 14 percent of the U.S. population.

When an immigrant or a racial minority goes to the polls, it is most likely that individual is either U.S.-born or a naturalized citizen and eligible to cast a ballot. 

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View detailed tables of immigrants by state.