Asians, not Hispanics are now the leading the way in American immigration. A recent Pew Research Center study has found that not only are more Asians coming to America for a better life, they are also the best-educated group of immigrants to enter the country.
According to the study 430,000 Asians moved to the United States in 2010, that number accounted for almost 36% of all immigrants, even when illegal immigrants are thrown into the mix. In comparison approximately 370,000 legal and illegal Hispanics crossed the U.S. border.
The report also points out that 80% of Asian-Americans are Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino or Vietnamese.
The biggest gap appears to be in how many of each group have entered the country illegally. While 45% of Hispanics are in the US illegally, that number is estimated to be just 13% to 15% for Asians.
Asian immigrants have U.S. policies to thank for their easy access into the United States, immigration policies heavily favor skilled and educated workers. In fact the Pew Study says the Asian immigrants are likely the best educated immigration group in US history.
According to the survey:
“A century ago, most Asian-Americans were low-skilled, low-wage laborers crowded into ethnic enclaves and targets of official discrimination. Today they are the most likely of any major racial or ethnic group in America to live in mixed neighborhoods and to marry across racial lines.”
The acceptance of educated immigrants and the decline of Mexican’s who are willing to cross the U.S. border during tough economic times shows just how much a slowed economy can change the perception of America for some groups in very different ways.