STUDY SHOWS CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS ON FINANCIAL PAR WITH CHILDREN OF CITIZENS

One of the most common arguments used by groups who want to decrease current levels of immigration is that the children of immigrants who lack English language proficiency and job skills will be unable to integrate into US society and will continue their parents’ dependence on government assistance.  A new study shows this argument may be wrong.

According to a report released by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the children of immigrants are far more economically successful than is widely believed.  The study compared the educational achievements and financial success of four groups:  children of immigrants who arrived before 1940, children of immigrants after 1970, and children of citizens from each time period.  The success of the children was compared to that of their parents.

Despite significant changes in the places from which people immigrate to the US, primarily southern and eastern Europe in the earlier part of this century to Latin American and Asia in more recent times, the achievements of children of immigrants remain consistently strong.  Children in each group made up between 50% and 60% of the difference between the average US wage and the wages earned by immigrants in their parents’ ethnic group.

Even more surprisingly, when children of citizens and immigrants of the same socio-economic background are compared, the children of immigrants achieve more in their education and receive higher earnings than the children of citizens.

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