The Caribbean is the largest origin source of Black immigrants in the United States.
That’s the findings of research conducted by the Pew Research Center, a Washington-based nonpartisan think tank.
The center notes however that while the Caribbean is the largest origin source of Black immigrants in America, the fastest growth is among African immigrants.
“The vast majority of Black immigrants are from two regions: the Caribbean and Africa,” said the center, stating that these two areas accounted for 88 percent of all Black foreign-born people in the United States in 2019.
It said Black immigrants from Africa have been the primary driver for much of the overall recent growth in this immigrant population.
Between 2000 and 2019, the Black African immigrant population grew 246 percent, from roughly 600,000 to two million, the Pew Research Center said.
As a result, it said people of African origin now make up 42 percent of the overall foreign-born Black population, “a substantial increase from 2000 when that share was 23 percent.
“Still, the Caribbean remains the most common region of birth for Black immigrants,” said the center, stating that just under half of the foreign-born Black population were born in the region (46 percent).
The research also found that Jamaica and Haiti are the two largest origin countries, accounting for 16 percent and 15 percent of immigrants, respectively.
Last November, Caribbean nationals were among immigrants who participated in an 11-mile march, from Manhattan to Brooklyn demanding a pathway to US citizenship. The rally and march came after the news that the current ‘Build Back Better’ package in Washington only includes a parole plan, which would grant temporary and time-limited immigration and work benefits to immigrants brought to America as children; Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, such as Haitians and farmworkers; but without any path to a green card and eventual citizenship.
The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), has joined national partners in calling for United States Senate Majority Leader Charles “Chuck” Schumer to appeal Build Back Better reconciliation package.
The Pew Research Center provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world.
CMC
