The U.S. Census Bureau recently released data stating that Asians have replaced Latinos as the fastest-growing minority group in the United States, with the increase in the Asian population primarily driven by immigration.
The Bureau stated that from 2012 to 2013, the number of foreign-born immigrants in the United States increased by more than 843,000. Among them, the largest immigrant group was Asian, reaching 338,000, an increase of 6% over the previous year.
Over the past few decades, Asians and Latinos have alternated as the fastest-growing minority groups in the United States. However, since 2010, Asians have surpassed Latinos in the rate of population growth. As of July 2013, the U.S. Asian population was 19.4 million, an increase of 2.9% from 2012.
Latinos, with a population of 54.1 million, remain the largest minority group, but their growth rate during the same period was 2.1%. Non-Hispanic whites remain the largest group in the United States at 197.8 million, accounting for 62.6% of the total population. The increase in the Asian population is due to higher immigration numbers, while Latino growth is primarily driven by domestic birth rates.
The Census Bureau report states that the Western United States is the region with the highest concentration of Asian and Latino populations. California has the largest Asian population in the country at 6.1 million and also the highest number of Asian immigrants, with an increase of 142,000 between 2012 and 2013. Hawaii has the highest proportion of Asians, accounting for 56% of the state's population, and is the only place in the United States where the Asian population exceeds half. California is also home to the largest Latino population at 14.7 million, followed by Texas.
U.S. immigration policy researcher Madeline Sampson recently stated that Chinese international students and Indian professional talent immigration are the two main reasons for the rapid growth of the Asian population.
Sampson said that over the past decade or more, a large number of Chinese students have come to the United States to study, with some remaining to work after graduation. In addition, a large number of professionals from India have obtained the opportunity to reside in the United States through work visas. Sampson believes that the U.S. economy's demand for computer engineers and other technical personnel will cause this trend to continue. At the same time, many wealthy Asians still view the United States as the most ideal country for immigration.