- Fact Sheet
New Americans in Houston
A Snapshot of the Demographic and Economic Contributions of Immigrants in the Houston Metro Area
Published
A new research report, New Americans in Houston, released today by the American Immigration Council, underscores the crucial role immigrants play in the Houston area’s economy. The report was prepared in partnership with Texans for Economic Growth, a statewide 145+ member business coalition powered by the American Immigration Council, the Texas Association of Business, the American Leadership Forum, the Center for Houston’s Future, and Leadership Houston.
For more information, see our press release.
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Immigrants in Houston contributed billions in taxes and consumer spending. In 2021, immigrant households earned $66.5 billion in income, with $11.1 billion going to federal taxes and $5.2 billion going to state and local taxes, leaving them with $50.2 billion in spending power that can be reinvested in local communities.
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Immigrants are helping the metro area meet its labor force demands and will help meet future needs. In 2021, immigrants made up 24.0 percent of the metro area’s population, yet accounted for 30.1 percent of the working age population and 31.0 percent of its employed labor force. This means immigrants played an outsized role in the region’s labor force.
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New Americans are working in fast-growing industries. New Americans represented 24.0 percent of Houston’s population, but comprised 35.5 percent of STEM workers, 44.1 percent of agriculture workers, and 50.3 percent of construction workers in 2021, contributing a wide array of skills in fast-growing industries.
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International students support jobs in Houston. In 2021, International students supported 3,800 local jobs and contributed $425.0 million to the U.S. economy. In 2021, there were 16,206 international students enrolled in colleges and universities in the Houston metro area.
Help us fight for immigration justice!
The research is clear – immigrants are more likely to win their cases with a lawyer by their side. But very few can get attorneys.
Introducing the Immigration Justice Campaign Access Fund.
Your support sends attorneys, provides interpreters, and delivers justice.
Immigration Justice Campaign is an initiative of American Immigration Council and American Immigration Lawyers Association. The mission is to increase free legal services for immigrants navigating our complicated immigration system and leverage the voices and experiences of those most directly impacted by our country’s immigration policies to inform legal and advocacy strategies. We bring together a broad network of volunteers who provide legal assistance and advocate for due process for immigrants with a humane approach that includes universal legal representation and other community-based support for individuals during their immigration cases.