MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE: Only about 18-20% of these immigrants come for work.

There has never been this much LEGAL immigration to the United States, nor for so long a period.

Since 1989 legal immigration has averaged 1,000,000 a year. For many of these years LEGAL immigration has topped 1.2 million.

Only about 18-20% of these immigrants come for work.… pic.twitter.com/1HoLYmMM9n

— White Papers Policy Institute (@WhitePapersPol) February 20, 2026

There has never been this much LEGAL immigration to the United States, nor for so long a period.

Since 1989 legal immigration has averaged 1,000,000 a year. For many of these years LEGAL immigration has topped 1.2 million.

Only about 18-20% of these immigrants come for work. 

The current administration has brought down legal immigration, and they expect to reduce it overall by 33-50%. Congress has to act, though. They must pass Chip Roy's PAUSE Act and stop all immigration until the system is rebuilt.

Source: Migration Policy.org "Legal Immigration to the United States, 1820-Present," Migration Policy Institute, November 2020.  Updated November 2024.

WHITE PAPERS POLICY INSTITUTE: [Legal] Immigrants can bring in their spouses, unmarried children under 21, married children of any age, their parents, and their siblings. All of these individuals can then sponsor their own families.

Most legal immigration to America is not for workers. It's chain migration.

In any given year 65-70% of immigrants come on a family sponsorship. About 85% of all family sponsorships are from immigrants themselves, not native-born Americans.

Immigrants can bring in their… pic.twitter.com/wVqSpfhsSJ

— White Papers Policy Institute (@WhitePapersPol) February 20, 2026

Most legal immigration to America is not for workers. It's chain migration. In any given year 65-70% of immigrants come on a family sponsorship. About 85% of all family sponsorships are from immigrants themselves, not native-born Americans. Immigrants can bring in their spouses, unmarried children under 21, married children of any age, their parents, and their siblings. All of these individuals can then sponsor their own families.

Oh, and most have access to the welfare system. 

WHITE PAPERS POLICY INSTITUTE: Per the latest CIS data: 64% of immigrant households in California are on welfare. 61% of immigrants households in New York State. 51% of immigrant households in Florida. 50% of immigrant households in Texas. America needs mass deportations & more denaturalizations.

Immigrant welfare use (illegal and LEGAL) is multigenerational. Your grandkids will be paying for the grandkids of today's immigrants. pic.twitter.com/FXbDiU8ZnJ

— White Papers Policy Institute (@WhitePapersPol) February 20, 2026

Center for Immigration Studies.