In a significant shift in immigration trends, Florida has emerged as the top state for new permanent residents in the United States during the 2024 fiscal year. The state issued an impressive 219,470 green cards, surpassing California for the first time, according to data released by the Office of Homeland Security Statistics and reported by Newsweek.
California, which has traditionally led in this area, fell to second place with 217,420 new permanent residents. Texas followed with 160,400, and New York ranked fourth with 136,750.
Florida's dramatic increase in green card holders was notable, with a rise of 63,970 from the previous year's 155,500, marking a 41% increase. This surge highlights Florida's growing attractiveness as a destination for immigrants.
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On a national scale, a record-breaking 1.36 million individuals obtained legal permanent residency in the fiscal year 2024, up from 1.17 million in 2023, marking the highest in the 2015-2024 series.
A critical factor contributing to Florida's prominence is that 73.3% of the green cards issued in the state—approximately 160,830—were through adjustments of status within the country rather than new arrivals from abroad.
This process is closely tied to the Cuban community. Nationally, 87% of the 178,130 green cards granted to Cuban nationals in 2024 were processed through status adjustment, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which equates to 155,630 individuals. The Pew Research Center noted that "almost nine in ten Cuban immigrants received their green card via status adjustment in 2024."
This trend was linked to the humanitarian parole program CHNV, which facilitated the legal entry of around 110,240 Cubans between January 2023 and January 2025. Many of these individuals, after meeting the one-year physical presence requirement, began applying for residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act, allowing them to complete the process without leaving the country.
However, this record now belongs to a drastically different landscape. The Trump administration ended the CHNV program in March 2025 and has progressively tightened access to permanent residency. In May 2026, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a memorandum redefining status adjustment as a discretionary benefit and requiring most temporary residents to pursue residency through the consular process abroad.
The impact on Cubans has been particularly severe. From April to June 2026, USCIS approved only 139 status adjustment requests from Cubans out of 586 cases resolved, a 23.7% approval rate, down from 52.6% in the previous quarter, as reported by Newsweek.
In January 2026, USCIS approved a mere 15 green cards for Cubans despite receiving over 7,000 applications that month, highlighting the challenges faced by the Cuban community under the tightened regulations.
This slowdown directly affects Miami-Dade, where at the end of 2024, there were 41,171 open immigration cases involving Cubans, the largest group in the city.
Understanding Florida's Green Card Surge and Its Impact on Cuban Immigrants
Why did Florida overtake California in issuing new green cards?
Florida surpassed California in new green card issuances largely due to a significant increase in adjustments of status within the state, accounting for 73.3% of the green cards issued.
How has the Cuban community been affected by changes in immigration policy?
Cuban immigrants have faced challenges due to policy shifts, including the end of the CHNV program and stricter residency requirements, leading to lower approval rates for status adjustments.
What role did the CHNV program play in the immigration process for Cubans?
The CHNV program allowed legal entry for many Cubans, enabling them to apply for residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act after meeting specific requirements.