Try to determine whether each of the following statements is fact or fiction. Immigration to the United States is greater than ever before. In 1910, immigrants made up nearly 15 percent of the U.S. population whereas in 1997, immigrants made up less than 10 percent of the population. Immigration was at its peak during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Europeans arrived to work in the factories of the industrializing cities and the Western territories taken from the Native American tribes.
Immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in public services in their lifetime.
The 1990 census reported that 20.4 percent of immigrants were on welfare, compared with 26.2 percent of U.S. native-born citizens. The percentage of immigrants living in poverty is growing faster than the percentage of native-born citizens. From 1980 to 1990, the number of native household in poverty grew by 11 percent, while the number of poor immigrant households grew by 42 percent. Most immigrants come to the United States from Asia and Latin America. From 1900 to 1990, the proportion of immigrants from Asia and Latin America increased from less then 1.5 percent to 25 percent and 43 percent, respectively.