Immigrants to the U. S. aren't the homogeneous group often pictured, but a diverse variety of individuals -- an important distinction for policy-makers to remember, analysts say.

• There are about 24 million foreign-born persons in the U. S. according to the Census Bureau.

• Mexico has sent the greatest number of people here -- 8.6 percent of the immigrant population -- followed by the Philippines, Vietnam and the Dominican Republic.

• The number of countries with at least 100,000 foreign-born residents in the U. S. stands at 41.

• Experts say that Asians tend to naturalize the fastest and in the greatest numbers, while those from Latin American countries do so more slowly and in fewer numbers.

Almost 40 percent of those from Latin America have less than nine years schooling -- compared to 20 percent of Europeans and Canadians, and 15 percent of Asians

A recent report from the Rand Corporation makes these points:

• Unemployment rates among immigrants range from 8.3 percent among Mexicans to 3.1 percent for those from Japan, Korea and China -- compared to 4.9 percent for the native-born.

• Those from Japan, Korea and China enter with wages much lower than native-borns, but they catch up in 10 to 15 years.

• Mexicans and Central Americans enter with very, very low wages and experience a persistent wage gap with native-born Americans.

• Those who are educated in the U. S. tend to have greater earnings than their peers educated abroad.

Source: Perspective, "The Melting Pot," Investor's Business Daily, February 11, 1997.