Fact Check: There are 65 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Fact Check: "There are 65 million undocumented immigrants in the United States."

What We Know

The claim that there are 65 million undocumented immigrants in the United States is significantly higher than most estimates. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, as of January 2025, the estimated number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. is approximately 15.4 million. This figure represents a substantial increase from previous years, reflecting a growth of about 5.4 million since January 2021. The total foreign-born population, which includes both legal and illegal immigrants, reached 53.3 million, accounting for 15.8% of the total U.S. population at that time (source-4).

Other sources corroborate this lower estimate. The Pew Research Center reported that the unauthorized immigrant population was around 11 million in 2022, which is below the peak of 12.2 million in 2007. This suggests that while the number of undocumented immigrants is significant, it does not approach the 65 million figure.

Analysis

The claim of 65 million undocumented immigrants appears to be an exaggeration when compared to credible estimates. The 15.4 million figure from the Center for Immigration Studies is derived from the January 2025 Current Population Survey (CPS), which is considered a reliable source for demographic data as it is adjusted to reflect recent trends in immigration (source-4).

The Pew Research Center provides another perspective, indicating that the unauthorized immigrant population was about 11 million as of 2022, which aligns with historical data trends showing fluctuations but not reaching the levels suggested in the claim (source-7). These estimates are based on extensive research and analysis of immigration patterns, making them more credible than the inflated figure of 65 million.

The Office of Homeland Security and other governmental sources also provide statistics on unauthorized immigrants, but they do not support the claim of 65 million (source-1, source-2). The disparity in numbers suggests that the claim may stem from a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the data regarding undocumented immigrants.

Conclusion

The claim that there are 65 million undocumented immigrants in the United States is Partially True. While it is clear that there is a significant population of undocumented immigrants, the actual estimates are much lower, around 15.4 million according to the most recent data. The claim may reflect a misunderstanding of the broader foreign-born population, which includes both legal and illegal immigrants, but it does not accurately represent the number of undocumented individuals.

Sources

1. Unauthorized Aliens | OHSS - Office of Homeland Security
2. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics
3. Office of Homeland Security Statistics: OHSS
4. Foreign-Born Number and Share of U.S. Population at All-Time Highs
5. Demographics
6. Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration
7. What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S.
8. The Number of Immigrants in the US Increases Yearly