But some scholars warn that Americanization carries risks, especially for the poor. The longer newcomers are in the United States, the more likely they are to smoke, grow obese or commit crimes. Two prominent scholars, Alejandro Portes and [UCI Distinguished Professor] Ruben Rumbaut, have warned that the children of the most disadvantaged immigrants may assimilate downward, joining the native poor in a “rainbow underclass.”

For the full story, please visit https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/sunday-review/immigration-assimilation-texas.html.