However, the way that immigrants assimilate into US culture is changing. Immigrants who arrived in the US in the early 20 th century often had no intention of returning to their home country, at least beyond brief visits. Technological changes have allowed recent immigrants to maintain a deeper connection with their home country. Prewitt also notes the growing reliance on younger immigrants to provide funding for government programs, particularly Social Security. Without immigrant workers, the average US population would be significantly older than it is.
Immigrants also have another notable financial impact.
The practice of immigrants sending money to family in their home country is becoming a large part of the international economy. While there are no firm numbers about the amount of money transferred, it is believed that the practice will have at least as large an impact on the world economy as more official international economic programs.