Washington has again failed to pass immigration reform this year, but on Friday thousands of new American citizens will be sworn in at hundreds of locations across the country. The July 4 naturalization ceremonies have become a staple of the holiday’s celebration.
Statistically speaking, the foreign-born population in the U.S. is at an all-time high, according to the U.S. Census. There are 40 million foreign-born people living in the country today – 12.9% of the population – up from 31.1 million and 11.1% back in 2000.
But the spread of those people around the country is far from uniform, as shown when we look at them with the 15 county types in the American Communities Project. And the way foreign-born people are dispersed around the country offers insights into how different American communities experience immigrants and immigration — and insights into why it’s hard to get movement on something considered a crucial issue by both major political parties. CONT.
Dante Chinni (American U.), Wall Street Journal