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Which US states have the highest rates of illegal immigration in 2025?
Executive summary
Pew Research Center’s August 2025 reporting says the unauthorized (commonly called “illegal”) immigrant population reached a record 14 million in 2023 and that six states — California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois — together host a large share of that population (Pew and related analyses) [1] [2]. State-level tallies published by Pew and summarized by Axios show California (~2.3 million), Texas (~2.1 million), Florida (large growth to highest share at 7.1% of state population), New York, New Jersey and Illinois as the leading hosts of unauthorized immigrants through the recent reporting period [3] [4] [1].
1. Which states top the list: the six that concentrate most unauthorized residents
Pew’s 2025-centered reporting and summaries identify California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois as the six states that host the largest unauthorized-immigrant populations, continuing a long-standing concentration in a few states even as flows spread elsewhere [2] [1]. Axios’ analysis of the Pew data cites state counts — California about 2.3 million and Texas about 2.1 million — and notes Illinois, New Jersey and New York are also among the top hosts [4] [3].
2. Absolute numbers vs. share of state population: different ways to measure “highest rates”
Reports emphasize two metrics that can yield different answers: absolute population and percentage of state residents who are unauthorized. Axios highlights that Florida had the highest percentage share in its population (7.1%), even while California and Texas remain the largest in absolute numbers (roughly 2.3M and 2.1M, respectively) [3] [4]. Pew and Migration Policy Institute materials explain that absolute counts concentrate in large states but percentages matter for policy and political impact [1] [5].
3. Recent trends and growth patterns through 2023–25
Pew’s reporting documents record growth through 2021–23, with the unauthorized population reaching an all-time high in 2023; preliminary administrative data indicate rapid growth earlier in the decade and some slowing or changes in 2024–25 tied to policy shifts, deportations, and changes in parole/asylum processing [1] [6]. Axios notes particularly large increases in Florida (about +700,000) and Texas (+450,000) between 2021 and 2023, signifying internal redistribution as well as new arrivals [3] [4].
4. Methodological limits: why state rankings are estimates, not census counts
Pew, Migration Policy Institute and DHS-derived estimates rely on surveys (ACS, SIPP), administrative records, and modeling; they adjust for undercounts but caution that 2024–25 trends are less certain because survey and administrative data lag or are incomplete [1] [6] [5]. Pew’s Q&A explicitly says data for 2024–25 are incomplete and trends must be interpreted cautiously [6]. Available sources do not mention a definitive, up‑to‑the‑minute 2025 state-by-state official census of unauthorized residents (not found in current reporting).
5. Competing estimates and political perspectives
Nonprofit and advocacy groups produce different totals: FAIR’s 2025 estimate is far higher (18.6 million), reflecting a different methodology and broader definitional choices, which would affect state rankings if allocated similarly [7]. That illustrates an important political divide: academics and major research centers (Pew, MPI) publish more conservative, survey‑based numbers while activist or advocacy groups (both pro- and anti-immigrant) publish alternative higher or lower totals; readers should note organizational agendas when comparing figures [1] [7] [5].
6. Why the geographic concentration matters for policy and local politics
Concentration in large states affects resource allocation, state and local legislation, and the political salience of immigration in gubernatorial and congressional races; Axios interprets Pew’s state findings as relevant to why immigration became a dominant issue in recent elections and why interior enforcement and state policies vary [3] [4]. Migration Policy Institute’s state profiles are used by policymakers and advocates to design targeted programs and enforcement approaches [5].
7. What’s missing or uncertain in current reporting
Available sources caution that 2024–25 dynamics — such as changes in parole, deportation policy, and border enforcement — have likely shifted populations but are not fully captured by survey-based state estimates; Pew’s methods note that 2024–25 data are incomplete and trends may have moderated or reversed in mid‑2025 [6] [1]. DHS’s historical state tables exist for earlier years, but an authoritative, finalized 2025 state-by-state count is not presented in the provided sources [8] [9].
Bottom line: based on Pew’s 2025-centered reporting and peer summaries, California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois host the largest unauthorized immigrant populations (California ~2.3M; Texas ~2.1M), while Florida ranks highest by share (about 7.1% of state population) — but counts vary by methodology and 2024–25 trends remain incompletely captured in the available data [1] [3] [4] [5].