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Looking for more data? We've identified these links to useful data sets and data-rich sites.
Data sets
Immigration in Minnesota overview
An overview of Immigration in Minnesota, including definitions, economic impact, family life, education, civic and political life, and more. Compiled by The Minneapolis Foundation.
Language(s) spoken and level of English language skills
Available annually from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Legal Permanent Residents characteristics
Profiles of selected demographic characteristics (age, marital status, occupation, class of admission, country of birth) of immigrants who became legal permanent residents (“green card holders”) during the fiscal year by state of residence and for Metropolitan Statistical Areas including the Minneapolis-St. Paul 13-county MSA. Available from U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Number and type of visas issued
The Report of the Visa Office is an annual report providing statistical information on immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuances by consular offices, with totals by categories (e.g., Immediate Relatives, Family-Sponsored Preference, Employment-Based Preference, etc.). Available from U.S. Department of State.
Primary home language for students in Minnesota public schools
Data available annually for K-12 students by grade for schools, districts, counties and Minnesota as a whole from the Minnesota Department of Education.
Public programs in Minnesota, immigrant enrollment and outcomes
Data is available about the citizenship status of enrollees in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and Diversionary Work Program (welfare-to-work programs) and Food Support. In addition, MFIP Self-support Index and Participation Rates are available for select immigrant groups (including Somali and Hmong) for each county in the MFIP Performance Measures reports. Available every 6 or 12 months from Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Rate of citizenship
Measure of the length of time that passes from immigration to citizenship, and the percentage of immigrants that eventually become citizens. Available annually from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Refugee and asylee population
Describes Minnesota’s immigrant refugee and asylee population relative to other places in the nation. Measures arrivals each year, not the percentage currently living in the community. Available annually from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Refugee arrival and health screening data
Demographic and health screening data for annual refugee arrivals to Minnesota, by country of origin and initial county of resettlement. Available annually from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Students with Limited English Proficiency in Minnesota public schools
Data available annually (beginning in 1997-1998) for PreK-12 students for schools, districts, counties and Minnesota as a whole from the Minnesota Department of Education. Select level of geography, then the Special Population workbook.
Data-rich sites
The Brookings Institution
Brookings is a nonprofit public policy think tank that conducts independent research on a variety of social and economic topics. Its immigration experts provide up-to-date information and commentary on the demographic, economic, social and political impact of immigration in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
KIDS COUNT Data Center, Children in Immigrant Families
Features a variety of data for children in immigrant families (defined as having at least one immigrant parent), with outcomes compared against U.S. born children. Data available annually by state and for the nation from KIDS COUNT.
Midwest Coalition on Immigration and the Region's Future
This website highlights data on the characteristics of immigrants in the tweleve Midwestern and Great Plains states in order to provide up-to-date and reliable information that can serve as the cornerstone of policy discusssions.
Migration Policy Institute, Immigration Data Hub
Get instant access to the latest immigration statistics, maps, and numbers for the United States and other countries. The Data Hub showcases the most current national and state-level demographic, social, and economic facts about immigrants to the US; as well as stock, flow, citizenship, net migration, and historical data for countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania. Track historical immigration trends, see which global cities have the largest immigrant populations, and learn more about refugee and asylum patterns.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. UNHCR provides data, trends, an interactive data visualization platform and statistical reports on refugees, asylum seekers, returned refugees, internally displaced and stateless people around the world. UNHCR tracks progress toward achieving durable solutions for refugees; the scope and nature of protection activities; new outflows; the duration of refugee situations; camp locations; asylum applications and refugee status determination. Detailed information on country of asylum, origin, gender, age, location and legal status of refugees is available.
Pew Hispanic Center
The Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research organization that seeks to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos' growing impact on the nation. The Center does not take positions on policy issues. It produces a variety of data resources about immigrants including estimates of unauthorized immigrants, trends in migration flows, and the annual publication, Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States. Almost all of the Center's research includes separate tabulations of data for U.S.-born and foreign-born Hispanics.
Urban Insititute
The Urban Institute produces a range of research reports that include analyses of immigrants' contributions to the labor force and the economy, fast-growing immigrant communities, and the effects of No Child Left Behind on immigrant children and English Language Learners, among many other topics. UI also maintains a Children of Immigrants Data Tool that allows for comparisons of populations of children defined by the nativity and citizenship of the child or their parents.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Immigration Statistics
The annual Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provides data on foreign nationals who, during a fiscal year, were granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., admitted as immigrants or became legal permanent residents), were admitted into the United States on a temporary basis (e.g., tourists, students, or workers), applied for asylum or refugee status, or were naturalized. DHS also has a range of data-rich publications that include national estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population in the U.S.
