Undocumented migrant mothers in the United States reportedly gave birth to as many as 250,000 children in 2023, according to estimates from the Center for Immigration Studies.
The center has estimated that there are between 225,000 and 250,000 births by mothers who are undocumented migrants in the United States. However, it is important to note that the center has a relatively low confidence level in this estimate.
According to center officials, the number of births to illegal immigrants is far from insignificant, reaching up to a quarter million. In fact, this number surpasses the births to legal non-citizens and is higher than the total number of births in all but two individual states.
The center is expecting an even higher number of births in 2024.
The estimated number of births for undocumented mothers, as provided by center officials, is not expected to experience a significant increase as more information becomes available.
Center officials stated that they have not formally updated their estimate since the publication of a report on the subject in 2018.
According to center officials, investigating the changes in the characteristics of the illegal population caused by the border surge under President Joe Biden will require some time. They also expressed the need to determine the extent to which the Census Bureau surveys accurately reflect these changes.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has consistently documented the number of births in the United States throughout the current decade.
Undocumented mothers of migrant newborns also have a strong motivation to register their babies’ births in order to obtain birth certificates and secure citizenship for their children.
The study was conducted by the center in response to multiple requests following President Donald Trump’s executive order on Monday, which banned birthright citizenship for the children of parents who entered the United States illegally.
The executive order by President Trump, which terminates birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented migrants, is facing federal legal challenges from the American Civil Liberties Union and various states.
According to the center’s estimation, immigrant mothers, including both legal and undocumented migrants, accounted for 20% of the total births in the United States in 2014, which amounted to a staggering 791,000.
Legal immigrant mothers accounted for 494,000 births, while illegal immigrant mothers accounted for 297,000 births. This represents 12.4% and 7.5% of all births, respectively.
In 2014, the number of births by undocumented migrant mothers reached an impressive 297,000, surpassing the total number of births in all states that year, with the exception of California and Texas. This statistic highlights the significant impact of undocumented migrant mothers on the overall birth rate in the United States.
In 2014, the number of births to undocumented mothers surpassed the total number of births in 14 states and Washington, D.C.
According to the center’s estimation, a significant number of undocumented mothers in 2014, which accounts for about two-thirds, were either uninsured or relying on Medicaid for healthcare coverage. This ultimately means that American taxpayers likely bore the cost of all the births associated with these individuals.
In 2014, immigrant mothers were estimated to have cost taxpayers $5.3 billion, while undocumented mothers accounted for $.24 billion in expenses.
According to the center, immigration contributes significantly to the overall number of annual births in the United States. However, it is estimated that it only increases the nation’s total birth rate by about 4%. This is because the fertility rate among immigrants is only slightly higher than that of U.S. citizens.