Fact check: How have US annual immigration numbers changed over the past decade?

1. Summary of the results

The question about US annual immigration changes over the past decade cannot be fully answered with the available data, as most sources focus on recent periods or specific aspects. The Office of Homeland Security Statistics (OHSS) has been tracking immigration data since 1872 ^[1], but comprehensive year-by-year data for the past decade is not provided. The most recent concrete data shows that during the Biden administration (February 2021 through October), there were 6.5 million total border encounters, with 2.5 million people released into the US and 2.8 million removed or expelled ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

• Immigration data encompasses multiple metrics, including visas, green cards, and population counts ^[3]
• A significant shift occurred in 2018 when naturalized citizens began outnumbering unnaturalized immigrants ^[3]
• Border security metrics include both apprehensions and expulsions ^[4]
• There were an estimated 660,000 "gotaways" in fiscal 2021 alone ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself may be oversimplifying a complex issue:

• Media framing of immigration as a "crisis" has been a consistent theme from 1980-2022, suggesting potential political bias in how immigration numbers are presented ^[5]
• Different stakeholders benefit from different narratives:

Political parties benefit from either emphasizing or downplaying immigration numbers

News media outlets benefit from crisis framing ^[5]

• Border security agencies benefit from emphasizing enforcement metrics ^[4]
• The focus on annual numbers alone might miss important nuances like the distinction between legal and illegal immigration, temporary vs permanent residents, and the significant monthly variations in release and removal rates ^[2]