Asians have
surpassed Hispanics as the United States' largest group of new immigrants,
according to a report on Tuesday that some experts said reflects decreased
demand for migrant labor and highlights the impact of state crackdowns on
illegals.
The Pew Research
Center found that the number of Asian immigrants grew from 19 percent of all new
immigrants in 2000 to 36 percent in 2010. Incoming Hispanic immigrants fell from
59 percent in 2000 to 31 percent.
Up to 11 percent
of illegal immigrants in the United States are Asian while about 75 percent are
Hispanic, according to the analysis, which combined government data with its own
polling.
Experts said
there was no single answer for why Asian immigrants surpassed Hispanics, but the
sluggish U.S. economy probably played a big role.
U.S. immigration
policy tends to favor skilled labor and students, something that works to the
advantage of immigrants from Asian countries that have a deep focus on
education, she and other immigration experts said.
Pew's report
paints a comprehensive picture of an Asian population that swelled over the past
50 years. That gain is up from less than 1 percent in 1965 and includes those
who have immigrated or were born in the United States.
There are 52
million Hispanics in the United States, more than 38 million blacks and nearly
198 million whites, according to the report. Other government data has also
shown the United States on track to have ethnic minorities as its "majority"
population rather than whites.
Pew's findings
show that in contrast to many Hispanic immigrants, all Asians in the United
States, not just recent immigrants, are a well-educated group that tends to have
more college degrees, a higher annual household income, and greater wealth than
the overall U.S. population. News24
Currently, there
is a fierce debate over the nation's immigration policies. While the
economy is paramount for voters, illegal immigration is being hotly debated
ahead of the November election. Some have questioned the timing of President
Obama's announcement. The policy change also complicated efforts by his
Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, to fashion an immigration platform of his
own. Washington Times On Friday, the
Obama administration announced it would stop deporting many undocumented
immigrants who came to the country at a young age, a move that seems to be aimed
at Hispanics, whose voting in the election could be crucial to Obama's
re-election chances. Washington Post Republicans have
attacked President Obama’s decision to halt the deportation of some young
illegal immigrants, describing it as politically motivated.
Reuters
AHT/HJ
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