Between 2015 and 2065, they are likely to account for up to 88 percent of the U.S. population increase, or 103 million people, as the nation grows to 441 million, the new study shows.
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In a major shift in immigration patterns, Asians will surge past Hispanics to become the largest group of immigrants heading to the USA by 2065, according to estimates in a new study.
For its report, which takes a 100-year look at USA immigration, Pew analyzed census data, population projections and conducted a survey that collected opinions on immigrants. The foreign-born population in the USA now stands at 45 million. The timely survey seems to remind American politicians that immigrants are already a significant part of their constituents. The report said that from the 1960s up to 2065, nearly 60 million people would have immigrated to the United States.
Released on Monday, the analysis of the American think tank presents some interesting predictions, such as the fact that over the next half century, the USA will become such a varied mix of ethnicities and races that not one of them will claim majority.
Half of immigrants, 51 percent, who arrived since 1965 are from Latin America and a quarter are from Asia.
Looking at the current largest immigrant groups, Hispanics made up 4 percent of the total US population in 1965.
About half of respondents said immigrants are making the economy and crime worse, but about the same percentage believe immigrants are improving food, music and the arts, the report said.
Without any post-1965 immigration, the nation’s racial and ethnic composition would be very different today: 75% white, 14% black, 8% Hispanic and 1% Asian.
Pew spokesperson said the influx of immigrants will actually replenish the country’s population. The foreign-born population represents a growing share of the electorate that Democrats and Republicans court because that voting bloc is big enough to tip presidential elections.
‘Hispanic population growth is coming from people born here in the United States, ‘ he said.
The leading source of immigrants to each state in 2013.
The next group to emerge will be Asian immigrants, whose share of the immigrant population is expected to be the largest by 2055 and 38 percent of the foreign-born population by 2065.
While demographic changes in Latin America, not just Mexico, suggest numbers of immigrants to the United States will continue to decline, what’s happening in Asia indicates the opposite will hold true, Lopez says. By 1980 over half of those who arrived within the previous five years had settled there and, by 1990, almost two-thirds had. Forty-nine percent offered some general descriptions, 12 percent of those were positive, 11 percent negative and 26 percent neutral, according to the report. Sixteen percent say they are not having much effect.
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According to the report, 45 percent of Americans said immigrants would make the society better in the long run while 37 percent said they would worsen the conditions.
