U.S. Refugee Statistics 1960-2024

Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of asylum is the country where an asylum claim was filed and granted.
  • U.S. refugee statistics for 2022 was 363,059.00, a 7.04% increase from 2021.
  • U.S. refugee statistics for 2021 was 339,179.00, a 0.49% decline from 2020.
  • U.S. refugee statistics for 2020 was 340,846.00, a 0.25% decline from 2019.
  • U.S. refugee statistics for 2019 was 341,715.00, a 9.09% increase from 2018.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Refugees Granted Asylum
Germany 2,075,445.00
Poland 971,129.00
France 612,934.00
Czech Republic 435,212.00
United States 363,059.00
United Kingdom 328,989.00
Spain 317,751.00
Italy 296,181.00
Sweden 277,726.00
Austria 258,613.00
Netherlands 218,457.00
Switzerland 182,474.00
Greece 160,761.00
Belgium 151,408.00
Canada 140,621.00
Slovak Republic 96,563.00
Ireland 81,256.00
Norway 75,311.00
Finland 69,553.00
Denmark 67,772.00
Lithuania 67,638.00
Portugal 59,777.00
Australia 54,430.00
Estonia 40,806.00
Latvia 39,055.00
Hungary 35,370.00
Cyprus 29,280.00
Croatia 20,638.00
Japan 17,406.00
Luxembourg 11,952.00
Malta 11,098.00
Slovenia 8,705.00
Iceland 5,240.00
Argentina 4,094.00
South Korea 3,825.00
Trinidad and Tobago 3,424.00
Panama 2,576.00
Chile 2,133.00
New Zealand 1,791.00
UAE 1,399.00
Israel 1,207.00
Uruguay 1,115.00
Kuwait 684.00
Liechtenstein 524.00
Saudi Arabia 454.00
Oman 295.00
Hong Kong 285.00
Bahrain 255.00
Qatar 197.00
Cayman Islands 47.00
Monaco 17.00
Bahamas 10.00
Turks and Caicos Islands 7.00
U.S. Refugee Statistics - Historical Data
Year Refugees Granted Asylum Annual % Change
2022 363,059.00 7.04%
2021 339,179.00 -0.49%
2020 340,846.00 -0.25%
2019 341,715.00 9.09%
2018 313,242.00 9.09%
2017 287,135.00 5.19%
2016 272,963.00 -0.09%
2015 273,198.00 2.24%
2014 267,214.00 1.35%
2013 263,653.00 0.63%
2012 262,006.00 -1.04%
2011 264,752.00 0.09%
2010 264,505.00 -3.95%
2009 275,393.00 -1.46%
2008 279,468.00 -0.60%
2007 281,154.00 -66.67%
2006 843,434.00 122.35%
2005 379,330.00 -9.85%
2004 420,788.00 -7.02%
2003 452,536.00 -6.73%
2002 485,173.00 -5.95%
2001 515,851.00 1.50%
2000 508,209.00 -2.48%
1999 521,134.00 -2.40%
1998 533,951.00 -5.30%
1997 563,813.00 -7.12%
1996 607,005.00 -2.61%
1995 623,279.00 -1.23%
1994 631,046.00 1.28%
1993 623,056.00 7.43%
1992 579,938.00 12.85%
1991 513,885.00 10.54%
1990 464,887.00 12.97%
1989 411,496.00 8.93%
1988 377,769.00 3.29%
1987 365,726.00 -8.25%
1986 398,633.00 -19.11%
1985 492,806.00 -21.39%
1984 626,909.00 -4.37%
1983 655,532.00 5.69%
1982 620,257.00 15.42%
1981 537,375.00 33.12%
1980 403,684.00 -45.00%
1979 734,000.00 0.00%
1978 734,000.00 7.20%
1977 684,700.00 36.94%
1976 500,000.00 -5.66%
1975 530,000.00 0.00%
1974 530,000.00 0.00%
1973 530,000.00 0.00%
1972 530,000.00 0.00%
1971 530,000.00 6.00%
1970 500,000.00 0.00%
1969 500,000.00 0.40%
1968 498,000.00 3.75%
1967 480,000.00 -4.00%
1966 500,000.00 -1.96%
1965 510,000.00 2.00%
1964 500,000.00 0.00%
1963 500,000.00 0.00%
1962 500,000.00 0.00%
1961 500,000.00 0.00%
1960 500,000.00 0.00%