Metro Area Snapshot

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

Asylum applicants in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL play a vital role across key industries, contributing meaningfully to the local economy, tax base, and labor market.

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298,000
Total Asylum Applicant Workers
$11.6B
Annual Income Added to Economy
$1.7B
Federal & Payroll Taxes Paid
$1.4B
State & Local Taxes Paid

Workers by Industry

Breakdown of asylum applicant workers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL across major economic sectors.

Construction
49,000 workers
Leisure and Hospitality
45,000 workers
Wholesale and Retail trade
42,000 workers
Other Services
40,000 workers
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities
39,000 workers
Professional and Business Services
37,000 workers
Health Services
21,000 workers
Manufacturing
20,000 workers
Education Services
5,000 workers
Agriculture
2,000 workers

Economic Impact

Asylum applicants in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL collectively add $11,581,000,000 in income to the local economy each year. They contribute $1,688,000,000 in federal and payroll taxes and an additional $1,399,000,000 in state and local taxes — supporting public services, infrastructure, and community programs.

Methodology and Report

Population and economic estimates were prepared by Dr. Phillip Connor, Research Fellow at Princeton University's Center for Migration and Development. Estimates use accepted demographic and economic methods used for other immigrant populations, drawing on data from the 2024 American Community Survey (ACS), January 2026 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Congressional Budget Office, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review, among other sources.

Read the full report: 2+ Million Workers, $100+ Billion Impact: Counting the Overlooked Economic Contributions of Asylum Applicants in the United States.