A headline has been making the rounds: “Hispanic population nearly doubles, fueled by Biden’s border crisis.” It’s a bold claim, and one that’s causing a lot of talk. Many people are wondering: Is this true? Did the Hispanic population really double? And is illegal immigration the reason why? Let’s take a closer look and separate fact from fiction.
According to new data from the U.S. Census and a recent report from the Pew Research Center, the Hispanic population in the United States did grow a lot between 2000 and 2024. In fact, it nearly doubled—from 35 million people in 2000 to 68 million in 2024. That means about one in five people in the U.S. is now Hispanic.
So yes, the population has grown quickly. But what’s behind the surge?
The report points to a few reasons. First, Hispanic families tend to have more children. In 2024, nearly one-third of all babies born in the U.S. had at least one Hispanic parent, even though Hispanics make up only 20% of the population. That means a lot of the growth is from births, not just immigration.
But immigration is also a big part of the story—especially during Joe Biden’s time as president.
Between 2021 and 2024, while Biden was in office, the U.S. saw more than a million immigrants from Latin America arrive each year. That was during a time when border enforcement weakened and illegal crossings hit record highs. According to the Census, over 2 million people crossed the border illegally just in 2023 and 2024. That was the largest surge in U.S. history.
This wave of migrants didn’t just come from Mexico, but also from countries like Venezuela, Guatemala, and Honduras. Many were allowed into the country and stayed, even without legal permission to be here.
Pew estimates that 41% of all Hispanic immigrants in the U.S. are here illegally. That’s much higher than the overall share of illegal immigrants in the U.S. population, which is about 4%. If you do the math, that means about 14% of all Hispanics in the U.S. are unauthorized immigrants. That’s a big number.
So how much of this is Biden’s fault?
The timeline matters. The sharp rise in both legal and illegal immigration happened between 2021 and 2024—exactly during Biden’s presidency. His policies made it easier for people to cross the border and stay, including ending Trump-era rules that kept illegal immigration lower. Border agents were overwhelmed, and many migrants were released into the country with court dates years in the future.
That changed when President Donald Trump took office again in 2025. He quickly brought back tougher border policies, restarted construction on the border wall, and increased deportations. Early reports show that illegal crossings have dropped sharply since then.
So, back to the original question: Did Biden’s border crisis fuel the growth of the Hispanic population?
The answer is yes—at least in part. The Hispanic population nearly doubled since 2000, and a big chunk of that growth came during the Biden years. While natural births played a major role, the record number of illegal immigrants under Biden added millions to the total, many of whom are now part of the U.S. population count.
The Pew Research Center isn’t a political group. Their numbers are based on the Census and other government data. So while some might use the numbers to push a political agenda, the facts speak for themselves: the Hispanic population has grown fast, and weak border policies under Biden made that growth even faster.
With Trump back in office, the border situation is changing again. But the impact of those four years under Biden will be felt for decades to come. The numbers don’t lie.