Asians now represent the largest stream of new immigrants to the United States, overtaking Hispanics in the top spot, according to astudy by the Pew Research Center.
In 2010, approximately 430,000 people or 36 percent of all immigrants arrived from Asia compared with 31 percent (about 370,000) from Hispanic countries. That includes legal and unauthorized immigrants. Three years previously, 540,000 people came from Latin nations and 390,000 from Asia.
Asians also now hold the majority of the H-1B skilled worker visas allotted annually by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Of the 129,134 H-1B visasgranted in 2011, India led the pack with 72,438 (56%), with China in a distant second place with 10,849, or 8%. The U.K, South Korea, and Mexico round out the top five.
This shifting face of immigration comes as the USCIS is spearheading nationwide federal, state and local campaign to combat scam artists offering phony immigration services. Many states have toughened their laws regulating how Notaries may advertise their services in foreign languages.
While many Hispanic immigrants are victimized by con artists advertising themselves as Notarios Publicos, government regulators note that scams target many different immigrant communities.
Kelle Clarke is a Contributing Editor with the National Notary Association.