e United States under the Refugee Act of 1980, which gave asylum to all those with a "well-founded fear of persecution or physical harm" regardless of the political structure of their home country (Portes & Rumbaut, 1990, p. 23). Those refugees granted asylum are given legal status and are allowed to work, while those denied are considered illegal and must find a means of survival outside the scope of these privileges (Portes & Rumbaut, 1990, p. 23). These refugees have entered the labor market in a variety of ways, argue Portes and Rumbaut (1990, pp. 24-25), and are found in low-wage jobs, professional careers and in their own businesses.
Why certain immigrants succeed or fail to make the transition to American life is dependent on certain factors of incorporation: motivation, knowledge, resources
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