Federal data obtained by the Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that, between October 2018 and July 2025, a total of 4.5 million people entered the United States via the U.S.-Mexico border—a figure encompassing both legal and illegal entries. Based on the contact addresses provided to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon arrival, Florida emerged as the top destination for these immigrants, while those from China primarily chose New York City and Los Angeles.
An Associated Press report on the 17th noted that the United States has been transformed by an unprecedented influx of migrants at the border; data shows that millions of people from over 150 countries have arrived in the country, pushing the U.S. immigrant population to a historic high.
After entering the United States, some immigrants head to major cities that have long attracted newcomers—such as New York and Miami—but an increasing number are choosing smaller cities with less established immigrant communities. Places like Elkhart, Indiana; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Dodge City, Kansas, have seen their streets, neighborhoods, and entire cityscapes transformed by the influx of immigrants.
For years, the vast majority of immigrants entering via the U.S.-Mexico border came from Mexico; however, the last decade has seen a surge in arrivals from countries like India, Ecuador, and Ghana—nationalities rarely seen in such numbers previously.
Statistics show that in a single year, the U.S. Border Patrol encountered immigrants from 174 different countries—a stark contrast to earlier periods when almost all arrivals were citizens of Mexico or Central American nations.
According to the Associated Press, while immigrants must provide an accurate address to proceed with their cases in immigration court and obtain work permits, some may subsequently fail to go to the address provided to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or they may have left the U.S. either voluntarily or involuntarily.
Cities such as Philadelphia and Cincinnati are attracting immigrants from continents across the globe; the rise of social media and the emergence of new migration routes are key factors driving this surge in border crossings. Cincinnati, for instance, has become a destination for large numbers of immigrants from West Africa, Uzbekistan, and India.