Indian Population In US - Third Highest
- By Sam George
- Published 12/5/2007
Sam George
Sam George is the Executive Director of PARIVAR International - a non-profit initiative to address the needs of youth and families of Asian Indian origin in North America and to the Asian Indian community worldwide. Parivar means family in many Indian languages. Sam George also serves as one of the founding directors of Urban India Ministries
www.UrbanIndia.org Sam George and his wife, Mary have spoken at premarital and family events in many countries. They are parents of two boys and make their home in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Sam is the author of the book “Understanding the Coconut Generation: Ministry to the Americanized Asian Indians." Check out this website www.CoconutGeneration.com Coconut (brown on the outside, white on the inside) is a metaphor for the Americanized Asian Indians. Sam George can be reached at sam@coconutgeneration.com
India is among the top three countries sending people to the US. Indian ranked below Mexico and China, with Philipines a close fourth. Chinese twice as much Indians and Mexicans almost 8 times as much. Read a new report from Center for Immigration Studies. Indians continue to be largest ethnic student population in American universities (repeated again for the fourth time in Fall 07).
The nearly 2 million strong Indian community in United States is one of the most educated and wealthiest group. Nearly 39 per cent being US citizens. Highest number of PhD are held by Indian, largest real estate asset among immigrants, most enterprising, most politically active etc. No wonder they are called Model Minority.
United States in the most favorite destination for human migration in the world. One in eight resident in US are foreign born. Out of a total immigrant population of 37.9 million, an estimated 11.3 million are illegals. Mexico is largest sending nation and also the largest illegals. Since 2000, 10.3 million immigrants have arrived - the highest seven-year period of immigration in US history. More than half of post-2000 arrivals (5.6 million) are estimated to be illegal aliens.
With increased migration, the Indian community will be preoccupied with immgrants needs and continue to overlook the needs of American born generation. Though some will still be involved with community institution, I feel there will be mass exodus of the Coconut generation to either the western establishment or create alternative systems. It will be interesting to see how things pan out. Watch what is happening with South Asian community in UK to see some trends.
