Brazilian Immigrants in the United States
August 29, 2019
By Brittany Blizzard and Jeanne Batalova
Approximately 450,000 Brazilian immigrants resided in the United States in 2017, an increase of nearly one-third over a seven-year span that was marked by difficult conditions in Brazil, including a recession accompanied by high unemployment and inflation. Brazilians, who now represent 1 percent of the 44.5 million immigrants in the United States, have historically sought improved economic opportunities via emigration, especially since the 1980s. After civilian government returned to Brazil in 1985 following two decades of military rule, hyperinflation crippled the country’s economy until the mid-1990s. During this time, Brazilians began to arrive in the United States in growing numbers. In 1980, about 40,000 Brazilian immigrants lived in the United States. By 1990, that figure had doubled and further growth followed: During the 1990s, the Brazilian population nearly tripled, reaching more than 200,000 by the turn of the 21st century, and has doubled again since then (see Figure 1).
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/brazilian-immigrants-united-states
