In the early 2000s, most immigrants to the United States were simply arriving over the border from Mexico. That idea is still ingrained in many people’s minds, leading them to think that the majority of immigration comes from the United States’ southern neighbor. While immigration from Mexico is still popular, it’s important to note that it’s no longer the majority.
Now, in most U.S. states, more immigrants are actually from China or India. Other origins also play into it, but those two — two of the world’s biggest population centers — have really started to dominate the scene.
To some degree, the geography of the U.S. itself seems to play a role. Most of the immigration from China and India, where it has really overtaken the immigration from Mexico, is happening in states that are situated east of the Mississippi River. However, if this is a long-term trend, it could easily spread until it is more prevalent in other areas.
Why is the change happening? One reason experts note is the type of jobs people are seeking. Construction was the job of choice for many immigrants from Mexico in 2005. The housing market crashed in 2008 and 2009, however, and work slowed. The amount of immigrants looking for those jobs also slowed down, paving the way for more immigrants from China and India who were not looking to work in construction.
No matter where immigrants are coming from or what jobs they are seeking, it’s crucial that they know all of the legal steps that are needed to immigrate legally. Even small oversights can be detrimental to the process.
Source: The Fiscal Times, “Here’s Where Most Immigrants Are Coming From (and It’s Not Mexico),” Tim Henderson, accessed Aug. 31, 2017