Demographics

Filipino-Americans are the 2nd Largest Asian-American Population in the U.S.A.

Filipino-Americans today are an emerging Asian ethnic group. Although they are currently number two only in total Asian American group population, next to the Chinese, they are expected to become the largest Asian American group after several years more, based on current statistics.

Records from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) show that the Philippines has become the second biggest source of immigrants to the United States for the second year in a row (1995 and 1996), surpassing India, Vietnam, and China, which ranked third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

Total Population. Although the official 1990 Census shows that there are only 1.4 million Filipinos in the United States, they number about 2.2 million, according to the National Filipino American Council.

According to a report in the Filipino Reporter the INS admitted a total of 53,876 legal immigrants from the Philippines in fiscal year 1996.

Mexico, up to 1996, remains the top country of origin of all immigrants to the United States, with a total of 163,572 arrivals in 1996.

Increase of Arrivals. According to INS statistics, the number of Filipino immigrants to the U.S. increased by 2,892 from 1995′s total of 50,984 arrivals. In 1993 and 1994, the Filipinos ranked third, with 63,457 and 53,535, respectively. China then was ranked second during both fiscal years, with 53,985 in 1994 and 65,578 in 1993. China placed fourth in 1995 (35,463) and fifth in 1996 (41,728).

The state of California has been the first choice among Filipino immigrants. For 1996, 23,438 out of the 53,876 new immigrants from the Philippines chose to settle in California, mostly in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Hawaii was the second choice with a total of 5,208 arrivals, followed by New York, 3,719; New Jersey, 3,544, Illinois; 2,516; Guam, 2,220; Texas, 2,064; Florida, 1,796; Washington 1,688; and Virginia, 1,446.