A legal permanent resident (LPR) or “green card” recipient is defined by immigration law as a person who has been granted lawful permanent residence in the United States. Permanent resident status confers certain rights and responsibilities. For example, LPRs may live and work permanently anywhere in the United States, own property, and attend public schools, colleges, and universities. They may also join certain branches of the Armed Forces and may apply to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain eligibility requirements.
The Office of Immigration Statistics Annual Flow Report presents information obtained from applications for LPR status on the number and characteristics of persons who became LPRs in the United States during 2012.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report states that in FY2012 a total of 1,031,631 persons became LPRs. The report points out that nearly (66%) of the LPRs granted permanent resident status were based on a family relationship with a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. The three leading countries of birth for new LPRs were Mexico (14%), China (7.9%) and India (6.4%). Read the report linked here for more details, “U.S. Legal Permanent Residents: 2012“.
Source of Information:
DHS.gov, web page:
http://www.dhs.gov/publication/us-legal-permanent-residents-2012
DHS Office of Immigration Statistics, Annual Flow Report – March 2013:
U.S. Legal Permanent Residents: 2012
DHS.gov, Data Tables including supplemental tables (XLS files):
LPR (FY2012) Data Tables