The Accelerating Immigration and Naturalization of Nationals of Muslim-Majority Nations
By George Fishman on March 20, 2026
Muslim immigration has been the subject of much discussion recently. Below is a look at the statistics regarding annual immigration from Muslim-majority countries (which are home to some 80 percent of the world's Muslims), the total foreign-born population from those countries, and the number becoming naturalized American citizens.
Annual Immigration from Muslim-Majority Nations
In FY 2000, the United States granted lawful permanent residence (LPR status) to 102,365 aliens born in 44 Muslim-majority countries. By FY 2023, the number had increased to 185,730, representing an 81 percent increase.
In FY 1980, the U.S. granted LPR status to 38,863 aliens born in Muslim-majority countries. Thus, the number increased by 378 percent from 1980 to 2023. Of 2023’s 185,730, 168,430 came from countries that existed as independent nations in 1980 and for which figures from that year are publicly available. If only immigrants from these countries are counted toward the 2023 total, the increase from 1980 would be 333 percent.
In 1980, immigrants from Muslim-majority countries constituted 7.3 percent of persons granted LPR status that year. By 2023, their proportion increased to 15.8 percent (14.4 percent if limited to immigrants from those Muslim-majority countries that existed as independent nations in 1980 and for which figures from that year are available).
For country-by-country data, see here.
https://cis.org/Fishman/Accelerating-Immigration-and-Naturalization-Nationals-MuslimMajority-Nations
