Immigrants come to the United States from many different continents and regions including Asia, Mexico, South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, Oceania, Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Canada. Many immigrants coming to America hope to obtain permanent residency or a Green Card and eventually achieve United States citizenship. Some immigrants initially enter the country legally with a visa but then violate the terms of the visa by overstaying the number of days authorized. Others enter illegally by resorting to the assistance of human smugglers. It is estimated that currently 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants reside in the United States. Of this figure, slightly more than half, or 7 million, come from Mexico; 3 million are from Latin and Central America; and approximately one million of illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States are from Asia. Most of the undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are between the ages of 18 and 39. The majority of illegal immigrants are male. Illegal immigrants under age 18 and over age 40 represent a minority category and comprise less than 20% of the total illegal immigrant population in the United States.

Mexicans make up the largest percentage of illegal immigrants in the United States. This may be no surprise due to the close proximity of the countries and the different standards of living offered. Many immigrants, including those from Mexico, emigrate to the United States in search of better financial opportunities. Some undocumented immigrants successfully cross the border into the U.S. and stay permanently, while a small percentage return back home. Hispanics comprise a large minority group in the United States. This demographic is also on the rise. States that have large Hispanic communities include: California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, New York and Illinois. Other states such as Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Arkansas and North Carolina have started to undergo a Hispanic population boom in recent years. One of the reasons Hispanics (which include those legally and illegally in the U.S.) are now beginning to reside in more rural areas with less established Hispanic communities is because of a lower cost of living, especially in regards to housing. A lower living cost makes it easier to achieve the "American dream." Immigrants are also beginning to reside in more rural areas that have been historically unpopular with immigrants is to avoid crowded, congested cities such as Los Angeles.

Immigrants to the United States also commonly come from countries such as: Honduras, Brazil, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Cuba, China, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. Many Spanish-speaking illegal immigrants make their way into the U.S. through Mexico. Some illegal immigrants may already have family in the U.S. which makes the transition easier. A significant number of permanent residents and U.S. citizens can relate to the struggles of immigrants, since many Americans only recently immigrated to the country. To make the transition easier, immigrants tend to move into regions where others of their cultural background already reside. Residing in these communities may make immigrants feel more at home and help them to preserve their culture. Because the United States is comprised of individuals from many different cultures, it is easy for immigrants to find others that speak their own language, and even be able to find their favorite foods from home at many of the ethnic food stores. States that tend to attract a high proportion of immigrant populations include: Florida, Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Minnesota, New Mexico, Mississippi, California, Georgia, Maryland, Washington, Virginia, Tennessee and Nevada. No matter where an immigrant lives in the United States, they generally all came to the United States and took great risks for the same reason--- to improve their quality of life.