Venezuelans Are the Fastest-Growing Hispanic Population in the US

In the past few years, the US has seen an unprecedented number of migrants and refugees reaching its southern border. At the same time, a more long-term trend has been taking place for the past decade or so. The percentage of people detained at the US-Mexico border has become less and less Mexican.

Mexico now makes only about a third of apprehensions, which currently consist of a larger share of countries in Central America facing more challenging situations or, in the case of Venezuela, a full-blown crisis.

The word "crisis" has followed desperate Venezuelans, Haitians, and Central Americans all the way up to the States, where many, including governmental organizations, politicians, and media outlets, have called the explosion of arrivals a "border crisis."

The influx of diversity of different Latin Americans in the past decade is evident on our chart. Venezuelans living in the US have more than doubled in size from 2010 to 2021, with a 169% increase. The distinctive growth of this demographic stands out from the rest by an extensive margin (the next fastest-growing Hispanic group was Guatemalans, and their population grew by 60%).

The US is a country of immigrants, and Venezuelans are becoming a fundamental part of its culture. Despite the challenges of accommodating an unprecedented number of migrants, these Hispanic communities are finding and will find ways to integrate. As we've reported before, Hispanics have become an essential part of the US, as they alone would represent the 5th largest economy and have already become the majority in key states like California and Texas.