Undocumented Venezuelan Migrants in U.S. Nearly Triple in Five Years

The population of undocumented Venezuelan migrants in the United States has surged dramatically, nearly tripling from 2019 to 2024 to reach 797,000 individuals, according to a study by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI).

This increase of 581,000 people positions Venezuela as the third fastest-growing country of origin for undocumented migrants in the U.S., trailing only Guatemala and Honduras. In the same period, Guatemala saw an increase of 827,000 undocumented migrants, and Honduras saw an increase of 843,000.

In contrast, Mexico, traditionally the largest source of both authorized and unauthorized immigrants, contributed only 266,000 more individuals over these five years, indicating a downward trend for Mexican migration. The total number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. reached a record 15.8 million in 2024, a nearly 50% increase from the estimated 11 million in 2010.

The MPI analysis attributes the rise in Venezuelan migration largely to a record number of arrivals at the border and the expansion of humanitarian parole programs under the Biden administration. Consequently, the proportion of Mexicans among undocumented immigrants has fallen to 35% from 62% in 2010. Meanwhile, the number of migrants from Central and South America, particularly Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil, has grown significantly.

Venezuelans now constitute the fifth-largest origin country for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The study also notes that approximately 40% of all undocumented immigrants have some form of temporary protection against deportation, such as TPS, DACA, or humanitarian parole. The report highlights that Venezuelan adults often possess higher levels of education than both the native-born population and the overall foreign-born population in the U.S., with about 57% of Venezuelan immigrants aged over 25 holding a bachelor's degree or higher in 2021.