Is the United States a nation of immigrants?

Question

This chart shows the US population by Ethnicity in 2025, showing that almost all Americans are descended from people who emigrated from somewhere else, almost all of them legally.

Does this chart show that the United States is a nation of immigrants?

This chart is from the verified Global Stats YouTube channel, which cleverly shows how US ethnic population changes over time in this video...

WindAtMyBack · Accepted Answer

All nations are nations of immigrants if you look at ancestry.

However, nobody knows the actual numbers. Those numbers that you often see are self-reported by people who may or may not actually know their ancestry - even if they think they do. The US immigration service tracks immigrants. But they do not track emigrants, marriages, number of children, etc. They only know the number who arrived.

There are other problems with tracking it. Let's say a Japanese person moves to Germany and gains citizenship. Then they move to the US. I'm pretty sure the official records would list them as German. What about their kids if the children are "pure" Japanese ethnically?

Then there is the matter of *when* they immigrated, with national borders changing over time. How do you resolve East and West Germany, or East and West Pakistan?

OlderAndWiser · Accepted Answer

If you go back for enough - before recorded history - all lands were uninhabited and only became populated because humans migrated from somewhere else. So. . . the entire planet is a world of immigrants.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

No for the simple reason the vast majority would have lost any connection to the motherland several generations ago. The fact your great great grandfather was Irish and your names Murphy doesn't make you Irish.

I'd say unless your still in touch with your foreign relatives back home then you're not a migrant.

sage2021 · Accepted Answer

Of course this only shows SOME of the people came from that immigrated to America.  My people immigrated legally to America 🇺🇸 from Holland.🇳🇱

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Absolutely, but there is a big difference between people who came here to contribute to a society that works for everyone, and those who came here to take. We have enough homegrown deadbeats and criminals. Importing more is just plain dumb.
Contrary to popular belief, there are multiple ways to enter the US legally. Anyone who deliberately circumvented multiple systems to be here probably isn’t here to contribute as much as they take, let alone more. Even if they have no prior criminal record, they became a criminal as soon as they entered and/or stayed here illegally. They can go home and reconsider their methods, and try again when they figure out the right way to emigrate and be a productive member of a society.

Shiprex · Answer

How many were born and raised in... wsit for it... Uhmericuh?

It's a very peculiar but sad affliction American passport holders seem to NOT want to see themselves as American that they MUST have an almost a pronoun adjective of foreign origin to identify as anything worthwhile.

It's American, the rest of the world knows you're not German, Dutch, Irish Italian or even African unless you were born, grew up or lived there long enough to get citizenship.

Be proud of your true heritage not some racial fancy to try to stand out.

exitseven · Answer

Yes, it is made up of people who came from Europe and Asia and South America and they came to America to become part of something bigger than themselves. They got jobs, worked hard, became citizens and for all intents and purposes became Americans. All 4 of my grandparents lived that story. They owned property, raised families and learned to speak English. They never took a dime from the government.

There are still immigrants who come to America the legal way and take becoming an American very seriously. In cities all over the country there are ceremonies with immigrants taking the Oath of Citizenship. The stories that some of them tell are very moving. It shows how lucky that native born Americans are.

Jersey2 · Answer

Immigrants of old is different from the benefit seekers we have today. They just fly in, ignore their visa requirements and stay with their hand held out for free stuff. Many don’t work and don’t look for work. They don’t become Americans, they fly the flags of the counties they don’t want to live in and send our benefit money there.

The immigrants of old came in via a difficult journey, brought their family, followed immigration rules, added to the labor force, built towns and cities, fought in our wars and became Americans.

Massageman · Answer

My great grandparents came from Bohemia (province of Czechoslovakia), but they came through Ellis Island and did things the legal way. My paternal grandfather sold draperies and blinds for homes and apartments. When the depression hit (and people couldn't afford window treatments), he started selling greeting cards, sodas, and penny candy in his store. He reasoned well- people might not be able to give someone some curtains, but they could still afford a card. He was right. Adaptation to the market keeps businesses afloat. His offspring became reasonably prominent in several areas of business.

Telekinetic-Potato · Answer

Every land is a "land of immigrants"

I dunno as I've gotten older, I'm just starting to learn that when you hear someone say certain things like that phrase, you can just immediately know "oh this person has no idea what they're talking about"

That argument is like trying to talk about starting a rocket engine but you don't have the capacity or short term memory to think more intricately than striking a match and lighting a candle.

Curiousbenjamin90 · Answer

What else would it be? We pushed native peoples onto small parcels of land, and people from all over the world got off boats, interbred, fought wars to take more land, and spread throughout the country. It was part of an empire, then became a country of rebellious foreigners. The ones who were here first are 3rd and 8th in the population chart shown.

Anonymous · Answer

We all came from somewhere.
The only thing consistent in immigration is US VS THEM mentality until the THEM became US then we stopped judging.

We had anti immigration sentiment on Irish, Jews, Russians, Italians, and so on.

I used to care about illegal immigrants until I learned about Operation Wetback under President Eisenhower, it tends to be a “showman” approach more than an actual fix. It is to make it look like the govt is doing something and get attention from the media / general public. We’ll go back to accepting immigrants of all walks of life later much like Ronald Reagan, George Bush, George Bush Jr.

It is a cycle. It comes and goes.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

They list both "American" and "Native American"? Whut?

OneViewpoint · Answer

Yeah, we're a nation of immigrants. Except for the Native Americans we haven't managed to exterminate via genocide yet. The US, Canada, and Australia have some pretty nasty skeletons in our closets when it cones to the indigenous populations. Hmmm... ever think about the common denominator there?

msc545 · Answer

Yes, it is a nation of immigrants. Each group of immigrants has its own customs and heritage. This is, of course, something that the right-wing in this country does not want to realize.

genericname85 · Answer

i mean look at the number of "native americans" that still exist. the answer is very obvious. the modern American population is 80% europeans who murdered the natives when they came and 18% the slaves they brought xD

Anonymous · Answer

LEGAL immigrants who become law-abiding residents or citizens. The issue is not immigration, it's ILLEGAL immigration, and then illegal immigrants who commit crimes once they're here. Follow our fucking laws or stay out.

AMS700CX4u2 · Answer

Archeologist feel that even Native Americans immigrated at some point.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes legal immigrants. Even Mexico has strict immigration control. Try immigrating there ilegally

DJB72 · Answer

No. It's a nation founded by settlers. The Mayflower didn't carry immigrants, it took SETTLERS.

DavyJ · Answer

Aren’t we all immigrant nations; given how man wandered and settled all over the globe over many millennia.

ilistengood · Answer

My ancestors were the ones waving when the wide eyes landed at Plymouth rock.

Grond21 · Answer

It makes the conversation more difficult if we confuse immigrants and settlers

Xawyx-2 · Answer

Historically speaking - yes, just like Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders etc.

loveslongnails · Answer

This is one of those "No Shit, Sherlock" questions, right?

Cubus · Answer

Yes. 99% of United States' population are immigrants.

Alex-Snow · Answer

Trumps current wife is one. How come ICE does not go after her?

KostasKouvalis · Answer

Yeah. It was created from scratch by immigtants

ibodi · Answer

All is white trouble look at Australia.

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

Except Indigenous folk and black kidnap victims.

mysteriousNicholas · Answer

Yes. That's how it grew post gold rush.

Dargil · Answer

E Pluribus Unum.

AngryCarl2 · Answer

Yes, and the Drumpfs came from Germany. lol

darkcloud1945 · Answer

Legal immigrants.

Twalli · Answer

Yeah, obviously.

JamesMillerOwl · Answer

Yes. It is a nation of immigrants.

jazzy34 · Answer

... Yes...

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Almost! Thanks to Biden!!

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