---
title: "How Many Undocumented"
description: "There are more than 5 million unauthorized workers in the U.S. economy. This study estimates that these workers have become a very substantial presence in the sectors where they are concentrated. More than a million undocumented persons are employed in manufacturing and a similar number in the service industries. More than 600,000 work in construction and more than 700,000 in restaurants. "
date: "2002-03-21"
authors:
  - name: "B. Lindsey Lowell"
    job_title: "Guest Contributor"
  - name: "Roberto Suro"
    job_title: "Guest Contributor"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2002/03/21/how-many-undocumented/"
categories:
  - "Business & Workplace"
  - "Immigration & Migration"
  - "Immigration Trends"
  - "Unauthorized Immigration"
---

# How Many Undocumented

There are more than 5 million unauthorized workers in the U.S. economy. This study estimates that these workers have become a very substantial presence in the sectors where they are concentrated. More than a million undocumented persons are employed in manufacturing and a similar number in the service industries. More than 600,000 work in construction and more than 700,000 in restaurants.