Over the past decade, the United States has experienced a significant increase in immigration, with millions of people from over 150 countries arriving and contributing to the highest levels of immigration ever recorded. According to data obtained by The Associated Press through a Freedom of Information Act request, more than 4.5 million migrants were released in the U.S. after crossing the Mexican border between October 2018 and July 2025. This data includes details such as self-reported ZIP codes, ages, genders, nationalities, and the locations where migrants encountered U.S. authorities. Migrants are required to provide a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent with a U.S. street address, though some may not have actually arrived at the addresses they provided. Authorities often lack the resources to verify these addresses, but migrants must report truthfully to pursue legal cases in court and obtain work permits. Some individuals have since moved to other parts of the country or left the U.S., either voluntarily or involuntarily, while others have remained in their initial locations. The immigration surge, which reached its peak during President Joe Biden’s administration, has led to notable changes in migration patterns. While Florida was the most popular state overall, many Latin American immigrants have increasingly sought opportunities in other regions. For example, Cubans have been found in places like Louisville, Kentucky, and Odessa, Texas, while Colombians have settled in Aurora, a Denver suburb, and Peruvians have chosen Paterson, New Jersey, as a top destination. The data also highlights a significant demographic shift, with nearly six out of every 10 migrants released at the border being women and children. This is a change from earlier periods when most migrants were men. This trend is evident across various nationalities, with examples including Mexican families in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ecuadorian women and children in Spring Valley, New York. Chinese migrants, who crossed the border in large numbers from California’s mountainous border with Mexico, primarily settled in New York City, especially in the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, as well as in areas of Los Angeles. The data also shows a broader range of migration sources, with the Border Patrol encountering migrants from 174 countries in one year alone, a sharp contrast to earlier times when most migrants were from Mexico and Central America. Cities with established international communities, such as New York City’s Queens borough, saw a significant influx from countries like Ecuador, China, and India. Philadelphia also experienced a large number of new arrivals from 11 different nationalities, including Brazil and Venezuela.