Final answer:
According to Suro and Singer, the Latino population uniquely expanded across the U.S. at a rapid pace, surpassing prior immigrant groups in their geographical distribution. This was part of a broader trend of diverse immigration waves, including those from southern and eastern Europe facing discrimination and Asian immigrants arriving for economic prospects or as political refugees post-Vietnam War.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Suro and Singer (2002), the Latino population spread out further and faster across the nation than any previous wave of immigrants. The rise in attention on this topic has been notable since 1970, which corresponds with the United States encountering new waves of immigration from Asia and Mexico. Specifically, these waves included significant numbers of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe who encountered intense discrimination.
During the late nineteenth-century, there was a marked increase in immigrants from primarily southern and eastern European countries, alongside a broader, ongoing flow from northern and western Europe. For instance, the German-born population in the U.S. grew substantially, and alongside the Irish, they moved westward, establishing strong rural communities. However, this wave differed from the earlier European immigration, which was predominantly from wealthier northern and western European countries.
The most recent significant wave of Asian immigration has featured migrants from Korea and Vietnam, particularly post-1975 after the fall of Saigon. Many Asian immigrants sought economic opportunities, while Vietnamese immigrants often sought asylum as political refugees, a process facilitated by the Refugee Act of 1980.