Words matter. Definitions do, too.
Use these distinctions when reading or comparing immigration statistics.
Immigrant
A broad term whose meaning depends on the dataset. The Census usually measures foreign-born residents; immigration law uses different categories.
Foreign-born
People who were not U.S. citizens at birth, including naturalized citizens and noncitizens.
Native-born
People who were U.S. citizens at birth, including qualifying people born abroad.
Citizen
A person with U.S. citizenship by birth or naturalization.
Naturalized citizen
A person who acquired U.S. citizenship after birth through naturalization.
Noncitizen
A person who is not a U.S. citizen. This does not determine whether the person is lawfully present.
Lawful permanent resident
A noncitizen granted permanent resident status, commonly called a green card holder.
Temporary visa holder
A person holding a visa for a defined temporary purpose. Visa validity is not the same as an authorized period of stay.
Student visa holder
A holder of a visa for an eligible course of study. This differs from counts of international students or exchange visitors.
Visa
A travel document used to seek admission. Issuance does not establish that a person entered or remains in the U.S.
H-1B
A temporary employment classification for specialty occupations and certain other workers. Petitions, beneficiaries, visa issuances, and LCAs are distinct measures.
LCA
Labor Condition Application filed with the Department of Labor. One filing can cover multiple positions and is not proof of a visa issuance or actual hire.
Refugee
A person admitted through the refugee process; refugee admissions differ from grants of asylum.
Asylee
A person granted asylum. This is different from a person with an application pending.
Asylum applicant
A person seeking asylum whose application has not necessarily been granted. USCIS affirmative cases and EOIR defensive cases have different processes.
Border encounter
A recorded enforcement interaction. The same individual may be encountered more than once.
Apprehension
A Border Patrol enforcement event. It is a subset of encounter categories and is not a unique-person count.
Removal
A departure pursuant to a formal removal order; use the reporting agency’s definition and period.
Return
A confirmed departure without a formal removal order under the source’s reporting definition.
Deportation
A term often used for removal. Historical reporting categories vary; consult the specific dataset.
Immigration court case
An administrative court proceeding. Cases are not equivalent to crimes, convictions, or unique individuals.
Net international migration
The difference between migration into and out of a geographic population during a period; methodology varies by population program.
The Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2022
Original source ↗ · Retrieved 2026-09-16Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY 2024
Original source ↗ · Retrieved 2026-09-16