Change in the Undocumented Alien Population in the United States, 1979–1983

This article presents estimates of the number of undocumented aliens included in the April 1983 Current Population Survey (CPS) derived by subtracting an estimate of the legally resident foreign born population from the survey estimate of all foreign born residents. The methodology is similar to that used by Warren and Passel (1987) with the 1980 census. Also presented are similar estimates for the November 1979 CPS — reestimates following the work of Warren (1982). Estimates are presented by period of entry for Mexico and other groups of countries. Comparison of the April 1983 estimate with the census-based estimate and the November 1979 survey-based estimate provide an indication of growth in the undocumented alien population for 1980–83. For this recent period, the implied annual growth in the undocumented alien population is in the range of 100,000 to 300,000 — a range lower than has usually been offered in speculative assessments.