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Rubio Inflates Illegal Immigration Numbers

Undocumented immigrants in the US total between 11 and 17 million, according to estimates by immigrant groups.

Published June 12, 2024 at 5:01pm by

Marco Rubio falsely inflates number of unauthorized immigrants

Statement: The number of people in the U.S. illegally is “upwards of 20, 25, maybe 30 million."

In a May 19 interview, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) supported former President Trump's plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, stating there are "upwards of 20, 25, maybe 30 million" living in the U.S. illegally.

"Eleven million? That's an outdated — that was the number 10 years ago," Rubio said. "We’re talking upwards of 20, 25, maybe 30 million. There’s been almost 10 million people that have entered this country in the last three years."

Fact-check: False.

Estimates by Immigration Groups:

Migration Policy Institute: 11.2 million in 2021 (nonpartisan)
Pew Research Center: 10.5 million in 2021 (nonpartisan)
Center for Migration Studies: 10.9 million in 2022
Center for Immigration Studies: 12.3 million in May 2023 (favoring low immigration)
Federation for American Immigration Reform: 16.8 million in 2023 (advocating reduced immigration)

DHS Estimate: As of January 2022, the DHS estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants were living in the U.S.

Border Encounters: Under the Biden administration, there have been over 9.5 million encounters with immigrants trying to cross the border illegally, but these represent events, not individuals. As of January 2024, 3.9 million encounters resulted in removals, returns, or expulsions.

Dynamic Population: The number of unauthorized immigrants is not static; it changes due to deaths, departures, or shifts in immigration status.

PolitiFact rating: False