WASHINGTON – As President-elect Donald Trump spent months demonizing Syrian refugees and Muslims as a “great Trojan Horse”, a study has proven that many new arrivals tend to working hard to achieve success in their new home after escaping death in mad Middle East war.

The surprising success of refugees came to public in a study of Syrian immigrants in the United States published Dec. 13, which offered a snapshot of their hard work, integration and success, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, December 13.

The study is the result of cooperation between the Center for American Progress, a center-left think tank in Washington, and the Fiscal Policy Institute.

It examined 2014 census data to paint a picture of roughly 90,000 Syrian immigrants in the country, finding that “when given a chance, Syrian immigrants are fitting into and excelling in the United States, both socially and economically, on a wide variety of metrics.”

“The 90,000 Syrian immigrants who were in the United States before the recent arrival of refugees have been thriving and are therefore well-positioned to help their compatriots when they arrive,” the report says.

“Policymakers should take into account the fact that the United States already has a robust Syrian community that is making contributions and may be well-placed to facilitate the integration of new Syrian refugees.”

The study’s findings included the fact that Syrian immigrants form a highly entrepreneurial group, with eleven percent of them are business owners in comparison with 4 percent of immigrants and 3 percent of US-born people.

Other findings made it clear also that Syrian immigrant businesses are thriving and the people are well educated.

“The United States accepts refugees on humanitarian grounds, not to improve the American economy. But, the striking success of Syrian immigrants in this country should give us some confidence that Syrian refugees can become integrated and successful here,” David Dyssegaard Kallick, senior fellow at the Fiscal Policy Institute and a co-author of the report, said in an email to WorldViews.

“While refugees are not exactly the same as immigrants, and they are coming here under much more dire circumstances, the fact that other Syrians are thriving here bodes well for the new arrivals, and it’s also an indication that as refugees arrive in this country they may find at least some people who speak their language, know the culture they come from, and can help them find their way in this country.”