Immigration: The Changing Face of America

Americans are deluged daily with tearful stories and alarming statistics about illegal immigration. It creates a perception that most immigrants come to the country by sneaking across the border.  This narrative obfuscates the reality that the overwhelming majority of immigrants arrive here legally. 

Activists and the politicians claim oppressive waiting requirements, high costs and excessive paperwork 'force' newcomers to skip the legal process.  That's baloney.  The majority of foreign-born immigrants (75%) in this country played by the rules and survived these pseudo barriers.

The truth is America's process for accepting immigrants is less stringent than many countries.  Foreign-born individuals who wish to live in the United States have a straight forward path to lawfully enter the country. While it requires diligence, it is not overly burdensome. 

Without diving into the weeds,  the procedure begins with an application for a visa or green card, the first step toward becoming a lawful permanent resident.  Visas are available for immigrants with family members or relatives residing in the U.S.  Businesses also sponsor visas for immigrants.

After living in the country for five years as a legal resident, foreign-born nationals can apply for citizenship.  Each circumstance is different, but it can take anywhere from six months up to two years to complete the naturalization process and earn citizenship.  The cost is about $725.

If that process is so cumbersome, how do critics explain the fact that the U.S. welcomes approximately 680,000 new citizens during naturalization ceremonies every single year?  And applications for citizenship are increasing.  There were 239,628 requests in the most recent quarter.

Despite spurious complaints about the process, America remains the top destination for immigrants worldwide since at least 1960.  One-fifth of the world's immigrants today live in this country.  That evidence suggests America's immigration rules are not a deterrent to foreigners.

According to Current Population Survey (CPS) , more than 43.7 million immigrants resided in the United States in 2016, accounting for 13.5 percent of the total population estimated at 323.1 million.  The foreign-born population increased by 449,000 from 2015 to 2016.

To illustrate the dramatic growth, in 1970 immigrants represented 4.7 percent of the population. By 2000, the proportion of immigrants reached 11.1 percent of America's residents.  That means the number of immigrants living in the U.S. has zoomed upward 78 percent in the last 46 years.

Mexican nationals are the largest slice of the immigrant population pie chart with 26 percent. There are an estimated 11.6  million Mexican immigrants living in the country.  However, the percentage of Mexicans is lower than the peak of 30 percent in 2000 as more nationals arrive from other countries.

For example, India was the leading country of origin in 2016 with 175,100 individuals entering America.  China and Hong Kong followed with 160,200 immigrants.  Mexico was third on the list with 54,700. Cuba ranked fourth with 46,600. About 1.5 million foreign nationals arrived in 2016.

While Mexicans outnumber other immigrant populations, a glacial shift is occurring below the surface. Indians now comprise nearly six percent of immigrants with Chinese (including Hong Kong) representing five percent.  Filipinos are at four percent with Cubans and Vietnamese close behind.

Many immigrant adults today are better educated than their American counterparts.  For instance, 51 percent of Asians have at least a college bachelor's degree, compared to 31 percent for the total U.S. adult population.  By comparison, only six percent of Mexican immigrants have a college degree.

A Pew Research Center analysis found that immigrants accounted for nearly one-fourth (23%) of babies born in the United States, yet represent only 13.5 percent of the population.  This baby boom is driving overall population growth.  Without immigrants, the U.S. birth rate would be declining.

If current trends hold, immigrants and their descendants are projected to account for 88 percent of the population growth through 2065. Those figures underscore the importance of legal immigrants to the vibrancy of the American economy, boosting the labor pool and increasing economic activity.

Many of the new arrivals are doing better financially too, especially those from Asia and India.  A Pew Research analysis found that Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino and Indian immigrants have fewer family members living below the poverty line than those from Mexico and Central America. 

Immigrants have been a positive force throughout American history. That remains true today.  The media should extol the inspiring stories of successful legal immigrants instead of spotlighting only illegals.  America's face is changing.  And that is good news that should be celebrated.