The number of immigrants lacking permanent legal status in the United States hit an all-time high of 14 million people in 2023 amid a surge that followed the COVID-19 pandemic and policy shifts from the Biden administration, according to a new independent analysis.

The Pew Research Center, using the most recent numbers available for meaningful review, found a massive spike — the biggest on record — from 2021 to 2023, coinciding with the start of former President Biden's administration in January 2021 and the pandemic fallout that more severely impacted poorer countries.

The Pew researchers noted that the........

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