List of cities by estimated undocumented immigrant population

List of cities by estimated undocumented immigrant population is a list of cities and metropolitan areas with large estimated populations of undocumented or irregular migrants. Because undocumented populations are difficult to measure, figures vary by source and methodology. Some entries use metropolitan-area estimates, while others are inferred from national or regional data.

List

Rank	City / metropolitan area	Estimated undocumented / irregular population	Notes
1	London	700,000–900,000	Estimate based on unauthorized migrant estimates for the United Kingdom and London-focused research.
2	Istanbul	600,000–800,000	Estimate is uncertain; Istanbul is widely described as a major center for irregular and undocumented migrants in Turkey, including Syrians, Afghans, and other groups.
3	Lima	550,000–700,000	Inferred estimate based on Peru having roughly 1.5 million foreigners, with more than half in irregular status, and the heavy concentration of Venezuelan migrants in Lima.
4	New York metropolitan area	1,100,000	Pew Research Center estimated the New York metropolitan area had about 1.1 million unauthorized immigrants in 2016.
5	Greater Los Angeles	925,000	Pew Research Center estimated the Los Angeles metropolitan area had about 925,000 unauthorized immigrants in 2016.
6	Moscow	450,000–600,000	Estimate is uncertain; Moscow is a major destination for migrant labor from Central Asia, including irregular workers.
7	Houston metropolitan area	350,000+	One of the largest unauthorized immigrant populations in the United States.
8	Paris	300,000–500,000	Estimate is uncertain; France has one of Europe's larger irregular migrant populations, with Paris as the country's main migrant destination.
9	Chicago metropolitan area	300,000+	Chicago is one of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas by unauthorized immigrant population.
10	Madrid	250,000–350,000	Estimate is uncertain; Spain has a significant irregular migrant population, with Madrid as one of its main immigrant centers.
11	Miami metropolitan area	250,000+	South Florida has one of the largest unauthorized immigrant populations in the United States.
12	Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex	240,000+	Dallas–Fort Worth is among the largest U.S. metropolitan areas by unauthorized immigrant population.
13	Santiago	180,000–250,000	Inferred estimate based on national estimates of irregular migrants in Chile and the concentration of foreign-born residents in the Santiago region.
14	Barcelona	150,000–250,000	Estimate is uncertain; Barcelona is one of Spain's largest immigrant-receiving cities.
15	Marseille	100,000–200,000	Estimate is uncertain; Marseille has a large immigrant population, but city-level irregular-status estimates are limited.

Notes

Figures marked as uncertain or inferred should not be treated as official counts. Undocumented and irregular migrant populations are difficult to measure, and sources may use different definitions.

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List of cities by estimated undocumented immigrant population

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