The American Dream calls across the the vast waters and dark jungles luring the modern transplants with promises of US Visas granted by USCIS. Such glorious dreams of a fantastic future in the land of plenty - but what really awaits? Population movement has created great growth for the nation. On the same token this growth occurred on the backs of the typical immigrant and might not have granted them the promised reward of US Visas or permanent citizenship. It is not just the USCIS at fault here. Rather it is the misunderstanding of the past that contributes to all the broken dreams.
It is an established fact that immigration has been a boon to the United States, bringing people to this country who have helped create some of the nation’s greatest innovations. Consider Steve Job’s biological father who is an immigrant. While not every child of a new comer ends up being the founder of a global wonder like Apple, it is stories like this one that make the American Dream seem possible for many who seek it.
The influx of people has also created cultural innovation and change. There have been new flavors created from the blend of old and new. Sounds that are uniquely American come from the fusion of many different cultural elements. Many of these blends would never have happened without the movement of individuals seeking a better life. Style, food, music, décor, and much more all come together because of these remarkable meeting of minds that occur when people are exposed to new ideas and cultural elements.
What might not be so well known is that the United States still embraces more individuals born on foreign soil then all the other countries in the world combined. This happens regardless of economic uncertainty, job market issues, recession, inflation, or any other factor. There are four times the number of first generation transplants in the United States today then there were in the 1970’s. Surprisingly, outside of Mexico, most who seek citizenship here are from various parts of Asia.
Two thirds of the new population that was born elsewhere has come to United States shores to be with family. And unlike previous generations, the genders of people coming to the United States is nearly evenly divided between men and women, although most are between the ages of 15 and 34. On the plus side, these populations are more likely to engage in traditional relationships and remain in them then native-born citizens of the same age. These individuals also tend to favor seven states overall, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. These people buy into the concept of the American Dream and keep it alive even when native-born Americans lose faith in it. As such, the hard work they are willing to do and the determination they display shines as beacons to everyone who forgets that an unknown newcomer can father a man like Steve Jobs, an American, who through innovation, changed the world.