Children of Immigrants in the American Community Survey Mark Mather Population Reference Bureau Presentation at Migration Policy Institute October 16, 2008
Why Focus on the Children of Immigrants? Mostly ignored in immigration debate Fast-growing, leading a race/ethnic shift in U.S. population Unique policy needs
Using the ACS to Look at Trends for Children in Immigrant Families Sources of data on children in immigrant families Current Population Survey (http://www.census.gov/cps/) Decennial Census (http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html) ACS (http://www.census.gov/acs) ACS advantages More accurate than CPS More timely than decennial census Provides the annual data needed to track fast-changing populations ACS immigration data can be compared to decennial census data Exception: Residence one year ago See www.census.gov/acs/www/usedata/compacs.htm
Defining Children in Immigrant Families Children under age 18 who are foreign-born or who reside with at least one foreign-born parent. The foreign-born status of children not living with either parent is based on the status of the child Children living in subfamilies are linked to their coresident parent(s) and not the householder
Children in Immigrant Families, 1990-2006 Number (000s) Percent 1990 8,331 13 2000 13,538 19 2006 16,157 22 Source: PRB analysis of decennial census and ACS data.
Using the ACS to Look at Social/Economic Characteristics of Children in Immigrant Families ACS designed to measure socioeconomic trends in small geographic areas. But also useful for looking at small and scattered populations
English Ability Among Children and their Foreign-Born Parents, 2006 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Percent 46 35 16 3 Child speaks English very well, but parent(s) have difficulty Child and parent(s) speak English very well Child and parent(s) have difficulty speaking English Parent(s) speak English very well, child has difficulty Source: PRB analysis of the 2006 ACS PUMS.
Children in Poor and Low-Income Families, 2006 Children in immigrant families Children in U.S.-born families 60 50 50 40 37 30 20 10 22 17 0 In poverty Low-income Source: PRB analysis of the 2006 ACS PUMS.
Child Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 2006 Children in immigrant families Children in U.S.-born families 40.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 Percent 37 29 26 22 22 17 14 12 10 11 Total White* Black* Asian* Hispanic *Non-Hispanic Source: PRB analysis of the 2006 ACS PUMS.
Accessing ACS Data on Children of Immigrants: Published Tables KIDS COUNT / PRB (www.kidscount.org) Migration Policy Institute (www.migrationpolicy.org) National Center for Children in Poverty ( www.nccp.org) Urban Institute (www.urban.org) Don Hernandez (University at Albany)
Accessing ACS Data on Children of Immigrants: Custom Tables Data Ferrett (http://dataferrett.census.gov/) IPUMS (http://usa.ipums.org/usa/) Download census public use files (http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/acs_pums_2007_1yr.html) Need SAS, SPSS, or other statistical software
KIDS COUNT Data Center
KIDS COUNT Data Center: Children in Immigrant Families
KIDS COUNT Data Center: Children in Immigrant Families
Children in Immigrant Families with High Demographic Risk Factors,* 2006 *Neither parent is proficient in English; Neither parent is a U.S. citizen; Neither parent has more than a 9th grade education; Neither parent has been in the country more than 10 years.
Children in Immigrant Families with High Demographic Risk Factors in DC-MD-VA, 2006
Children in Immigrant Families with High Demographic Risk Factors in Washington DC and Surrounding Area, 2006
For More Information U.S. Census Bureau website (www.census.gov/acs) ACS Compass Products (forthcoming from Census Bureau) Annie E. Casey Foundation s KIDS COUNT website (www.kidscount.org) PRB (www.prb.org) Mark Mather mmather@prb.org; 202-939-5433