Children of immigrants to the United States have long become part of the country’s economy and culture, a pattern that has stayed steady for over a century. Today, about one in seven U.S. residents was born abroad, a rate similar to the late 1800s. As the origins of immigrants have shifted from Europe to Asia and Latin America, some argue that today’s immigrants don’t blend in as well as those in the past. But is that true?

A recent study from Stanford says no. The researchers tracked people through historical U.S. Census data, comparing immigrants and their children from two periods: the late 19th to early 20th centuries and from 1980 to today. By following millions of immigrants into the second generation, they could see how well the children of immigrants fared over time.

Rates of assimilation

Their results show that the rate of assimilation hasn’t changed. Just like in the past, today’s immigrants tend to work in low-wage jobs, but their children often enter the middle class. Immigrants also have lower incarceration rates than U.S.-born citizens, a trend that’s been true for over a century. Though opinions on immigration are now more positive than ever, they are more divided along party lines.

The study argues that making immigration policies based on the belief that immigrants don’t integrate would be a mistake. The process of assimilation is still alive and well.