Immigrant Health Care in The United States - Overview

Overview

Though termed "immigrants," this group includes a large body of noncitizens, such as foreign students, migrant workers, permanent legal residents, and those without legal documentation. Data indicates that the United States’ immigrant population was 28.4 million in 2000, although the Population Reference Bureau has since reported an increase to roughly 40 million in 2010. Furthermore, the Census Bureau projects that this number will continue to increase in the next decade, with the country’s Southeastern and Mountain regions' immigrant populations growing especially fast. In addition to its impact on the country’s demographics and labor market, this rise in the immigrant population has had a disparate impact on the United States' health care system and its surrounding dialogue.