Asian immigrants have surpassed Hispanics as the largest group entering the United States, bringing with them an unmatched degree of higher education backgrounds.

 

According to the Pew Research Center, 61% of adults emigrating from Asia have at least one college degree. This rate is twice that of all other immigrant groups.

 

Asian-Americans now number 18.2 million in the U.S., comprising 5.8% of the total population. The largest sub-groups are Chinese (23.2%), Filipinos (19.7%), Indians (18.4%), Vietnamese (10.0%), Koreans (9.9%) and Japanese (7.5%).

 

Pew researchers described them as the “highest-income, best-educated and fastest-growing racial group in the United States. They are more satisfied than the general public with their lives, finances and the direction of the country, and they place more value than other Americans do on marriage, parenthood, hard work and career success.”

 

Asian-Americans also are the most likely of any major ethnic group to live in mixed neighborhoods and to marry across racial lines.

 

The fact that Asian immigration has now passed Hispanic immigration is actually attributed less to the increase in people coming from Asia as to the rapid decrease of immigrants coming from Mexico and Central America. This, in turn, is a result of increased deportations, voluntary emigration due to the weakening of the U.S. economy, stronger border controls and a decline in the Mexican birthrate.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky

 

The Rise of Asian Americans (Pew Research Center)

Net Migration from Mexico to U.S. Comes to a Halt (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Largest Immigrant Groups in U.S.: Mexican, Filipino, Indian (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)