Finds that second-generation immigrants are as young adults rapidly moving into the mainstream of U.S. society and are combining their ethnic background into American culture. The study was conducted from 1998 to 2000 with over 3,000 participants in the metropolitan area of New York City including a native control group, Latinos (Dominicans and Puerto Ricans), Asians primarily from China, and Jews from the former Soviet Union. Acknowledging that considerable variation does exist, most second-generation groups forsake ethnic niches as they join into the working class and benefit from civil rights era policies. In terms of moving ahead, those who belong to a poor group with some well-off members tend to do better than those who come from a uniformly poor group. The political system in New York is changing due to greater representation of these immigrant groups. Most were optimistic that discrimination would not impede their advancement although skin color does seem to still matter in American society.
