Studies show U.S. Hispanics remain insular

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Immigration experts are at odds on how quickly Hispanic immigrants are blending into U.S. society and whether the rate of assimilation even matters.

Some scholars say Hispanics are intently focused on work and church, but less interested in becoming U.S. citizens or voting, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Sunday.

Duke University Professor Jake Vigdor developed an index on immigrant assimilation based on such factors as education, gaining citizenship, military enlistment and English speaking ability among immigrants to the United States. The index pegged Mexico at a 13 compared to more than 40 for Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines and a 53 for Canada.

"That is troubling," Vigdor told the Star-Telegram. "What really distinguishes Mexican immigrants from other immigrants both past and present is that they don't make a lot of progress over time."

However, Stanford University historian David Kennedy told the newspaper immigrant groups have historically disproved the notion that they had the wrong background to fit into American life.

"Many other groups have been perceived in their historical moment as so culturally distant from the norm that they were not thought to be assimilating," he said. "In fact, all of them assimilated."

Some experts are concerned that economic and educational progress among Hispanics will stall but others say recent arrivals from Latin America are increasingly seeking citizenship and showing greater involvement in local politics.