Karina Fortuny, author of “Children of Immigrants: 2008 State Trends Update,” analyzes five key national and state characteristics of children of immigrants and discusses how trends have changed over the past two decades.
Fortuny also helped create the Children of Immigrants Data Tool, which can generate customized graphs on child statistics by state. The 26 indicators include children’s immigrant status, family composition, school enrollment, and parents’ educational attainment.
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October 7, 2010
1. How has the immigrant population, specifically children of immigrants, changed since 1990?
The immigrant population in the United States has grown rapidly from the 1990s on and, as a result, the number of children of immigrants has gone up tremendously. The number of children who have at least one immigrant parent has doubled from 8.3 million in 1990 to 16.5 million in 2008—the most recent year for which we have data. These children account for 78 percent of the increase in the number of children nationally. Meanwhile, the number of children with native-born parents has increased only slightly.
This trend is likely to continue. That’s because immigrants who come to this country tend to be in their childbearing ages and, on average, have slightly more children than American parents. Children of immigrants still make up a minority—23 to 24 percent—of all U.S. children, but it’s fair to say that they have an influence on America’s population and future economic growth. In many European countries, the population is growing very slowly, with growth rates of just above 0 percent, or even declining, so there are fewer young people entering the labor force and fewer workers for each retiree. We don’t have this problem here now and probably won’t in the near future due largely to immigration.
Given their numbers and importance, it’s essential to understand the unique challenges children of immigrants face growing up in the United States. Only then can we ensure that they are able to fully contribute and participate in economic and civic life.
2. Where do most children of immigrants live?
Sixty-five percent of immigrants live in one of six states—California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. But, since 1990, many have settled in other parts of the country. The immigrant population in North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, and Nevada has swelled by five or six times. States that experience growth in industries that attract immigrants—including construction, food services, agriculture, hospitality, and other services—saw higher immigration flows during economic booms.
From 1990 to 2008, the share of children who have immigrant parents tripled from an average of 5 to 15 percent in 22 states with high-growth immigrant populations. Currently, their shares are 20 percent or higher in 19 states. Every state and possibly every county now needs to address the challenges and opportunities that come with having larger immigrant populations.
"MORE THAN ONE IN EIGHT ADULTS IN FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN HAS A 50 PERCENT OR GREATER DROP IN FAMILY INCOME IN A YEAR. FOR SOME, THIS LOSS IS SHORT-LIVED, BUT THREE IN FIVE FAMILIES DON'T RECOVER THAT LOST INCOME WITHIN A YEAR."
3. How does the poverty rate for children of immigrants compare with children of native-born parents?
Children of immigrants have a 21 percent poverty rate, which is higher than the 15 percent rate of children of native-born parents. Nearly half of children of immigrants—49 percent—live in low-income families, compared with 35 percent of children of natives. Because the most recent income data are for 2007 and 2008, we captured some of the recession’s effects, but the numbers are likely different now.
The average numbers do not capture the full picture, but I was surprised by how much poverty and low-income status varied by state. In some states, the poverty rates were low for both children of immigrants and children of native-born parents. In some, the gap between the two rates was wide. For example, here, in D.C., children of immigrants have a much lower poverty rate (8 percent) than children of natives (26 percent). In New Mexico, the poverty rate for children of immigrants is higher—34 percent vs. 21 percent, with both rates much above the national average.
These state-level variations are due partly to differences in immigrant parents’ educational attainment and language skills, in addition to differences in state economic conditions and policies. Many immigrants are highly educated, speak English well, and have higher-paying jobs. But there are also a large share of children whose parents have less than a ninth-grade education and aren’t fluent in English. So poverty rates reflect these differences.
4. Young children of immigrants are disproportionately poor and low-income. How does that affect safety net programs, particularly for mixed-status families?
Eighty-eight percent of children of immigrants are U.S. citizens, but 43 percent live in families with noncitizen parents—which includes both legal and unauthorized immigrant parents. Yes, children of immigrants are disproportionately poor and low-income, but their families are less likely to use public benefits. Immigrant parents face language barriers and may be reluctant to approach public agencies because they’re afraid of negative consequences, especially if a member of their family is an unauthorized immigrant. Also, eligibility requirements are complex and vary by program and by state, so immigrant families may find it hard to navigate the system. Most children of immigrants are U.S. citizens and so are eligible for services, but their parents may be noncitizens and may not be eligible. Confusion about eligibility rules and paperwork requirements are among the many reasons immigrant families use public benefits less than non-immigrant families, so improving access to services for eligible children is a multifaceted problem.
Under the recent health care reform, more low-income children of immigrants born in the United States will be eligible for public health coverage due to the expansion of Medicaid to people with higher incomes. But if their parents are unauthorized immigrants or legal immigrants who have been in the country for less than five years, the parents, with some exceptions, are and will remain ineligible for Medicaid coverage. Outreach will be especially important to ensure that the children in these families are enrolled. Also, many health interventions for children require providing services to the parents—say, screening for maternal depression or treatment for chronic illnesses for parents, and immigrant families with ineligible parents will most likely not receive these health services.
5. What did you find about English proficiency among children of immigrants and how does that affect education policy?
Nationally, 18 percent of children of immigrants age 5 and over are English language learners. A third of young children of immigrants up to age 8 live in linguistically isolated homes where no one age 14 or older speaks English proficiently.Schools expect parents to help their children with homework and participate in school activities, but immigrant parents who are not proficient in English are less able to do so.
Also, children of immigrants have lower rates of preschool enrollment at ages 3 and 4 than children of native-born parents. Children who are not enrolled in early education programs and who live in a non-English speaking home could be at a disadvantage when starting school. They may fall behind in school readiness and English language acquisition, and these early achievement gaps can persist throughout a child’s education. Studies have shown that low-income children and English language learners have the most to gain from preschool, so enrolling in early education programs is especially important for children in immigrant families.
I can’t say how much changing demographics should be driving education policy, but closing the achievement gap between children of immigrants, especially English language learners, and children of natives should be on the policy agenda. Is it best to integrate children into English-speaking classrooms or teach them in dual language programs? More and more school districts will have to face this question as student populations grow more diverse.
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