Over a million new US green card holders in 2010

Nearly two-thirds of the new recipients obtained the legal residency status based on family ties to a US citizen or legal US permanent resident.

Their top countries of birth were Mexico 13 per cent,China seven per cent and India seven per cent.

Under the Immigration Act of 1990,the Department places an annual limit on the number of new applicants of between 416,000 and 675,000 for family-sponsored preference,employment-based preference and diversity immigrants.

The number of family-sponsored applicants are limited to 226,000 to 480,000 per year.

Despite the number of green cards issued each year,some 10.8 million undocumented aliens still live in the United States,according to DHS figures.