Fact check: What are the most common countries of origin for illegal European immigrants in the US?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal that European immigrants represent a relatively small portion of unauthorized immigration to the United States. According to the data, Europeans comprise only 10% of the total 46.2 million immigrants living in the US ^{[1] [2]}. The most common European countries of origin for immigrants (both legal and illegal) are the United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, and Poland, which together represent 51% of all European immigrants ^[1].

However, the analyses show that unauthorized immigration is predominantly from Latin American countries. The top countries of origin for unauthorized immigrants are consistently identified as Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and India ^{[3] [4]}. More recent data indicates that while Mexico remains the largest source, there has been significant growth from Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador ^[5]. The unauthorized immigrant population has grown to approximately 13.7 million as of mid-2023 ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question focuses specifically on European illegal immigrants, but the analyses reveal this represents a narrow slice of the broader immigration picture. Several important contextual factors are missing:

• European migration to the US is actually declining, particularly from western and southern Europe ^[2], making illegal European immigration an increasingly minor issue
• The demographic shift in unauthorized immigration has moved away from traditional sources, with Mexico's share decreasing while Central and South American countries have increased ^[6]
• Many unauthorized immigrants have "liminal" status with temporary legal protection such as asylum or humanitarian parole, complicating the simple "legal vs. illegal" categorization ^{[6] [5]}
• Most European immigrants are concentrated in New York and California ^[2], suggesting geographic clustering that may not reflect national patterns

The focus on European illegal immigrants may serve political narratives that emphasize immigration from traditionally "acceptable" countries while downplaying the reality that most unauthorized immigration comes from Latin America and other non-European regions.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains an implicit assumption that may be misleading by suggesting European illegal immigration is a significant phenomenon. The analyses demonstrate that:

• Europeans represent only 10% of total immigrants ^{[1] [2]}, making illegal European immigration an even smaller subset
• The question may deflect attention from the actual sources of unauthorized immigration, which are predominantly Latin American countries ^{[3] [4] [5]}
• By focusing on European countries, the question may perpetuate bias that frames immigration from certain regions as more concerning or newsworthy than others

The framing could benefit those who wish to minimize discussion of unauthorized immigration from Mexico, Central America, and South America, which represents the vast majority of cases, while creating a false impression that European illegal immigration is a substantial issue requiring attention.