People of Hindu and Sikh Heritage

Immigrants to the United States come predominantly from urban areas, including all major Indian states, and they have come in two waves. The first wave began in the early twentieth century and continued to the mid-1920s. Conditions such as racial discrimination and lack of access to economic advancement made it difficult for the first wave of Asian Indians to sustain themselves or their culture in America. The second wave of immigration began after 1965 and continues. Most individuals from this wave are highly educated. Most come to the United States to attain a higher standard of living, better working conditions, and job opportunities. Secondary reasons include opportunities for additional education and Indian perceptions of America as a country of opportunity and freedom. Trafficking, primarily internal, of men, women, and children for the purposes of forced or bonded labor and commercial sex exploitation continues to be a major problem for Indians.