Study: Mexicans, LatAms Slower In Assimilating Compared To Other Migrants In The U.S.

Manhattan, NY (AHN) - A study by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research indicated Mexican and Latin Americans are slower in assimilating the U.S. culture and lifestyle compared to other migrant groups.

The findings are vital because around half of the 40 million immigrants in the U.S. are Latin American.

To measure their pace of assimilation, the standards used include ability to speak English, willingness to acquire American citizenship and even manner of dressing.

Jacob Vigdor, an associate professor of public studies and economics at the Duke University, said, quoted by the USA Today, immigrants who arrived the past 25 years assimilated faster than migrants who came a hundred years ahead of them.

Other key findings of the study include the observation that children immigrants eventually became difficult to distinguish from native born and that those who came from rich nations often assimilate at a slower pace. English speaking ability is also a poor determinant of economic success among migrants.

One reason behind the slower pace of Mexican assimilation is the fact that most of them are not properly documented. "If you're in the country illegally, a lot of the avenues of assimilation are cut off to you... There are lot of jobs you can't get, and you can't become a citizen," Vigdor said, quoted by the Washington Post.