Understanding the U.S. Immigrant Experience: The 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants

The Survey of Immigrants, a partnership between KFF and The Los Angeles Times, takes an in-depth look at the experiences of immigrants, a diverse group that makes up 16% of the U.S. adult population. Immigrants play an important role in the nation’s workforce and culture, and they also face unique experiences and struggles in their communities, workplaces, and health care settings. Nonetheless, they overwhelmingly express optimism about their futures in the U.S. and have high hopes for their children.

The survey is the largest nationally representative survey focused on immigrants, interviewing 3,358 immigrant adults in 10 languages. The results provide a deep understanding of immigrants’ experiences, reflecting their varied countries of origin and histories, immigration statuses, racial and ethnic identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In addition to the survey, KFF and The Los Angeles Times also conducted 13 focus groups with immigrant adults across the country.

Other KFF reports from the survey:

Health and Health Care Experiences of Immigrants

Political Preferences and Views on U.S. Immigration Policy Among Immigrants in the U.S.

Understanding the Diversity in the Asian Immigrant Experience in the U.S.: The 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants

Most Hispanic Immigrants Say Their Lives Are Better In The U.S. But Face Financial And Health Care Challenges: The 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants

Five Key Facts About Immigrants’ Understanding of U.S. Immigration Laws, Including Public Charge

Five Key Facts About Immigrants with Limited English Proficiency

Five Key Facts About Black Immigrants’ Experiences in the United States

Explore The Los Angeles Times’ Immigrant Dreams” project:

In an increasingly pessimistic era, immigrants espouse a hallmark American trait — optimism, published Sept. 17, 2023

Ten languages, thousands of phone calls: Accurately polling immigrants posed unprecedented challenges, published Sept. 17, 2023

Column: We need immigrants more than ever. They keep hope in this country alive, published Sept. 17, 2023

Receiving food stamps won’t kill your green card chances. How ‘public charge’ works, published Sept. 17, 2023

Immigration scams are rampant. Here’s how to avoid getting taken, published Sept. 17, 2023

We asked immigrants across the country these questions. See how your answers line up, published Sept. 17, 2023

Black immigrants face more discrimination in the U.S. The source is sometimes surprising, published Sept. 21, 2023

Low wages, lousy shifts, little room for advancement: Immigrant workers describe on-the-job discrimination, published Oct. 19, 2023

‘Everything’s like a gamble’: U.S. immigration policies leave lives in limbo, published Nov. 30, 2023

Column: Are immigrants better off in Texas or California? It’s complicated, published Nov. 30, 2023

Column: Could immigrants be America’s new swing voter group, published Nov. 30, 2023

Medi-Cal will soon be open to all, ‘papers or no papers.’ She wants her neighbors to know, published Dec. 24, 2023

Acknowledgements:

KFF would like to thank the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Dr. May Sudhinaraset, the National Immigration Law Center, the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants, and UnidosUS for their invaluable inputs, insights, and suggestions throughout the planning, fielding, and dissemination of this survey project.

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