Have you ever wondered just how many people cross U.S. borders every day? Some of them drive over at specified checkpoints. Others fly over and land at a multitude of airports all over the country. Still others come by ship.
When you add it all up, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security claims that about 1 million people come into the country every single day.
That’s an astounding amount of travel, and it is a heavy workload for officials who have to sort it all out. Some of these individuals are immigrants looking to start a new life. Others are U.S. citizens who are simply returning home. Others are tourists and other international travelers, such as college students, who only plan to stay for a set amount of time.
If you look just at immigration records, you’ll find that the Pew Research Center also notes that around 1 million immigrants enter the U.S. on a yearly basis. Here is a quick breakdown of some of the countries of origin for 2017. The top ones reported were as follows:
- India: 126,000 immigrants
- Mexico: 124,000 immigrants
- China: 121,000 immigrants
- Cuba: 41,000 immigrants
When considering the realistic steps you need to take to cross the border, though, it’s important to understand both sides of the equation: How many immigrants arrive and how many people come in total. This is just part of the reason that the immigration process can take so long. You are by no means alone at any stage.
During this process, it is crucial for you to understand exactly what legal steps you need to successfully meet your immigration goals.