How Many Illegal Immigrants Are in Texas? Pew Estimate, DPS Data and SB 4
Short answer
About 2.1 million. Pew Research estimated that Texas had 2.1 million unauthorized immigrants in 2023, roughly 6.7% of the state’s population by one analysis of Pew’s data. No agency counts them exactly, and Texas has no state census of immigration status, so every figure is an estimate.
Last verified November 1, 2026 against current Texas sources
So, how many illegal immigrants are in Texas? The best public estimate comes from Pew Research Center, which uses federal survey data to model the unauthorized population in each state. Pew’s figure for 2023 put Texas second to California, which had about 2.3 million, and the national total at a record 14 million. The numbers below come from a mix of that estimate, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reports and state health agency records, and each one has limits you should know before you quote it.
| Estimated unauthorized immigrants in Texas | About 2.1 million in 2023 (Pew Research estimate) |
|---|---|
| Share of Texas population | About 6.7% |
| Who counts people | No Texas agency; figures are modeled estimates |
| Crime data source | DPS “Texas Criminal Illegal Noncitizen Data” page |
| Medicaid | Emergency medical conditions only, if other rules are met |
| Driver license | DPS requires proof of citizenship or lawful presence |
| Border law | Senate Bill 4 (2023), core provisions enforceable after a May 29, 2026 Fifth Circuit stay; litigation continues |
| Main agencies | Texas DPS, Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) |
How many illegal immigrants are in Texas right now?
Roughly 2 million people, based on the latest Pew estimate, which covers 2023. Pew has no figure for 2024 or 2025 that this page can confirm, so any number you see for a later year, including searches for how many illegal aliens are in Texas in 2025, is a projection and not a count.
Three things make the number soft:
- Surveys, not a headcount. The Census Bureau does not ask about legal status, so researchers estimate it from the gap between foreign-born residents and people with known lawful status.
- Movement. People arrive, leave, get lawful status or are removed at different speeds, so the total changes faster than the data.
- Different definitions. Some sources count only people who entered without inspection. Others also count people who overstayed a visa, which Pew includes.
The immigrant population of a state also differs from the unauthorized population. Most foreign-born Texans are citizens or lawful residents, so a figure for all immigrants is far larger than the figure for unauthorized immigrants.
What does Texas DPS data say about illegal immigrant crime rates?
DPS publishes a page called Texas Criminal Illegal Noncitizen Data. It reports how many people booked into Texas jails were identified as unlawfully present by the Department of Homeland Security. In the report covering June 1, 2011 through September 30, 2026, DPS lists more than 466,000 criminal noncitizens booked through the federal Secure Communities fingerprint program, more than 335,000 of them classified as illegal by DHS, with more than 603,000 offenses and over 230,000 convictions. Counting its full history, DPS shows more than 816,000 offenses and over 348,000 convictions.
Those totals are large, but they are not a crime rate. DPS itself states several limits:
- The data only covers people who had an earlier encounter with DHS, so it misses anyone whose status was never checked.
- It counts Texas state offenses only, not federal charges.
- The offense totals are a minimum number, and for people identified while in state prison, DPS does not know when their status was determined or whether they are still incarcerated.
A crime rate needs a denominator, meaning offenses per 100,000 people in each group over the same years. The DPS page gives raw counts over fifteen years. That is why searches for Texas DPS illegal immigrant crime rates, homicide breakdowns or crime statistics by group often lead to claims the page itself does not make. Use the DPS counts for what they show, and do not turn them into rates without a source that supplies both numbers.
Can illegal immigrants get Medicaid in Texas?
Only for emergencies. Texas Health and Human Services Commission policy says non-qualified aliens, including people unlawfully present, may be eligible for Medicaid coverage for treatment of an emergency medical condition if they meet the other eligibility rules, including residency. Regular Medicaid, such as doctor visits and prescriptions, is not available to people without a qualifying immigration status.
Hospital cost reporting is a separate topic from Medicaid. A 2024 executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott, GA-46, directed hospitals to collect data on patients’ immigration status. A January 2026 report on the first data year, covering November 2024 through August 2025, counted 313,742 noncitizen hospital visits costing about $1.05 billion. That figure covers all noncitizen patients the hospitals reported, and it does not say who paid or how many were unauthorized.
Can an illegal immigrant get a driver license in Texas?
No. DPS requires every applicant to present a document proving U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, and a license or ID card cannot be issued until DHS verifies the period of lawful presence. People with temporary lawful status can get a license that expires with their authorized stay. Driving without a license is a separate offense, and our guide to Texas driving and vehicle laws explains the penalties.
Texas immigration law: what Senate Bill 4 does
Senate Bill 4 (2023) is Texas’s own illegal entry law, and it is the main answer to searches for the new immigration law in Texas. It creates a state misdemeanor for entering Texas from Mexico outside a port of entry, gives state and local officers power to arrest for it, and lets magistrates order people arrested for illegal entry to return to Mexico in lieu of prosecution if the person agrees, or after a conviction. It also adds a state crime for refusing to comply with that order and a crime for illegal reentry.
The law has been in court since it passed. The timeline, as reported:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 2025 | A Fifth Circuit panel found the challengers had standing to sue |
| April 24, 2026 | The full Fifth Circuit reversed on standing, 10 to 7, without ruling on the merits |
| May 29, 2026 | After challengers filed a new class action and a district court issued a new injunction, a Fifth Circuit panel stayed it, letting Texas enforce the core provisions; one judge dissented |
Court orders on this law have flipped before, so check a current news source or the Texas Attorney General before relying on enforcement details. The federal government, not Texas, still controls deportation and decides who may live in the United States. A state arrest under Senate Bill 4 does not change anyone’s federal immigration status.
Local rules in Austin and Houston
There is no separate city immigration law in Austin or Houston. State law, including Senate Bill 4, applies the same way in both cities, and so do the driver license and Medicaid rules above. What can differ is local police practice, such as how officers handle stops and whether jails honor federal detainer requests. Those policies depend on the sheriff, the police chief and county rules, and they can change, so ask the local agency or a Texas-licensed immigration attorney about a specific case.
Real situations: how this plays out
You are trying to confirm a number for a school paper or a news post
Cite Pew for the population estimate and label it as 2023. Cite the DPS page for booking and conviction counts, and say that it covers state offenses only.
A relative without papers needs emergency care
Hospitals treat emergencies regardless of status, and emergency Medicaid may help cover the bill if the person meets the other rules. A caseworker at the hospital or HHSC can confirm eligibility.
A family member was stopped near the border
Ask where the person is held and by which agency, then contact a Texas-licensed immigration or criminal defense attorney quickly. State charges and federal immigration proceedings run on different tracks.
Myths vs. facts
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| “Texas knows the exact number of illegal immigrants.” | No agency counts them. Pew’s 2.1 million for 2023 is an estimate. |
| “DPS publishes illegal immigrant crime rates.” | DPS publishes counts of booked people, offenses and convictions, not rates, and states its limits. |
| “Undocumented people get full Medicaid.” | Texas covers emergency medical conditions only, if other rules are met. |
| “Texas can deport people itself.” | Deportation is a federal power. Senate Bill 4 lets Texas order a return to Mexico after an illegal entry arrest. |
Frequently asked questions
How many illegal immigrants live in Texas?
About 2.1 million in 2023, according to Pew Research. That is about 6.7% of the state population. No Texas agency counts them, so treat any single figure as an estimate and check the year it covers.
How many illegal immigrants are in Texas compared with California?
Pew estimated about 2.3 million unauthorized immigrants in California and 2.1 million in Texas for 2023. Those two states led the nation, in a national total Pew put at a record 14 million.
Where does the Texas DPS data on illegal immigrant crime come from?
DPS matches jail bookings fingerprinted through Secure Communities against DHS records. The report counts state offenses for people DHS classifies as unlawfully present. It leaves out federal charges and anyone whose status was never checked.
Do illegal immigrants get Medicaid in Texas?
Only for treatment of an emergency medical condition, and only if they meet the other eligibility rules, including residency. Texas does not offer full Medicaid coverage to people without a qualifying immigration status.
Can illegal immigrants get a driver license in Texas?
No. DPS requires proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, and it will not issue a license until DHS verifies the period of lawful presence. A license for a person with temporary status ends when the authorized stay ends.
Is Texas Senate Bill 4 in effect?
As of the May 29, 2026 Fifth Circuit stay, Texas may enforce its core provisions. The case continues, and earlier rulings have been reversed, so confirm the current status before relying on it. Our new Texas laws page tracks changes.
What changed on this page
November 1, 2026: First published. Uses Pew’s 2023 estimate, the DPS report through September 30, 2026, HHSC emergency Medicaid policy and the May 29, 2026 Fifth Circuit stay on Senate Bill 4.
If this affects you: if you or a family member faces an immigration or criminal charge, speak with a Texas-licensed immigration attorney or criminal defense attorney as early as possible. For emergency medical coverage, ask the hospital’s financial counselor or the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. This guide is general legal information, not advice for your situation. See more in our everyday life and your rights guides, read how we research every guide in our editorial policy, or report an error.
