Who are the undocumented immigrants in Texas?

By Yuriko Schumacher and Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune

“Who are the undocumented immigrants in Texas?” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

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A 29-year-old man in Lubbock who went out to run an errand with his wife and three kids.

A 47-year-old Rio Grande Valley man who was driving a tractor near the farm he’s worked for more than a decade.

An 18-year-old Venezuelan who arrived in Texas in November after securing an appointment with federal immigration officials to request asylum.

All three are among the estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants — or one in 20 Texans — living in the state. And all three now face deportation after President Donald Trump began a broad crackdown on illegal immigration.

After a presidential campaign defined by promises to reduce illegal immigration into the country, Trump’s first few weeks in office have been accompanied by a series of executive orders and directives that are upending the lives of undocumented immigrants across the nation.

In Texas, undocumented immigrants make up significant portions of the workforce in major industries like construction and hospitality. Many have been here for decades, own homes and small businesses and have U.S. citizen children in Texas schools. The sight of federal immigration agents searching for undocumented people in Texas cities has struck fear into immigrant communities across the state.

Undocumented population has been stagnant since mid 2000s

In Texas, an estimated 1.65 million people are undocumented. Their numbers grew steadily from the 1990s to the 2000s, but have since stagnated even as Texas’ population keeps growing.

Most undocumented Texans come from North America

Nearly 60% of Texas’ undocumented immigrants are from North America, mostly Mexico. But the proportion of people from North America has declined as more Central Americans, Asians and South Americans migrate here.

Where undocumented immigrants live in Texas

The chart below ranks counties by the percentage of their population estimated to be undocumented in 2019. Three of the top five counties are on the Texas-Mexico border.

The undocumented population is aging in Texas

Compared to 2012, a larger percentage of undocumented people were 45 and older in 2022. Because of this shift, the majority of undocumented Texans are now 35 or older while the percentage of younger migrants shrank.

More undocumented Texans are longtime U.S. residents or newcomers

In 2022, nearly 30% of undocumented Texans had lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years, a significant increase from 16.6% in 2012. The percentage of those who had lived in the U.S. for five years or less also rose sharply.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-undocumented-immigrants-trump-deportation-demographics/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.