Demography
Rapid growth is the overriding characteristic of the Hispanic population, but that growth comes in many forms according to nativity, country of origin and other factors. The Center has focused attention on how patterns of Latino population growth vary in different parts of the country and in particular the emergence of new settlement areas where the Hispanic presence was once sparse but is now briskly increasing.
Related Publications
8.11.2010
Unauthorized Immigrants and Their U.S.-Born Children
An estimated 340,000 of the 4.3 million babies born in the United States in 2008 were the offspring of unauthorized immigrants, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center. Unauthorized immigrants comprise slightly more than 4% of the adult population of the U.S., but because they are relatively young and have high birthrates, their children make up a much larger share of both the newborn population (8%) and the child population (7% of those younger than age 18) in this country.
7.28.2010
The Latino Digital Divide: The Native Born versus The Foreign Born
Native-born Latinos are more likely than their foreign-born counterparts to go online and to use cell phones, according to a new report from the Pew Hispanic Center. A second new Center report finds that among Latinos ages 16 to 25, the native born are more likely than the foreign born to use mobile technology to communicate daily with their friends.
7.28.2010
How Young Latinos Communicate with Friends in the Digital Age
When it comes to socializing and communicating with friends, young Latinos (ages 16 to 25) make extensive use of mobile technology. Half say they text message (50%) their friends daily, and 45% say they talk daily with friends on a cell phone. Other communication platforms are less widely used for socializing. For example, fewer than one-in-five young Latinos (18%) say they talk daily with their friends on a landline or home phone, and just 10% say they email their friends daily.
4.1.2010
Latinos and the 2010 Census: The Foreign Born Are More Positive
A new nationwide survey of Latinos finds that foreign-born Latinos are more positive and knowledgeable about the 2010 Census than are native-born Latinos. While majorities of both groups say that the census is good for the Hispanic community, the foreign born are significantly more likely to feel this way. The foreign born are also more likely to correctly say that the census cannot be used to determine who is in the country legally; more likely to trust the Census Bureau to keep their personal information confidential; and more likely to say they have seen or heard messages encouraging them to participate in the census.
3.30.2010
Statistical Profiles of the Hispanic and Foreign-Born Populations in the U.S.
A new demographic and economic profile of Latinos, based on 2008 census data, finds they are twice as likely as the overall U.S. population to lack health insurance coverage. Among foreign-born Hispanics, the uninsured rate climbs to 50%. Hispanics also differ sharply from the rest of the U.S. population in racial self-identification. About six-in-ten identify as being white only; two percent identify as being black only and nearly one-third identify as being "some other race." Among non-Hispanics, less than one percent choose that last option. The share of Latinos who choose the "some other race" option appears to be sensitive to the phrasing of questions on race and ethnicity in Census questionnaires.
1.21.2010
Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2008
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.
1.21.2010
Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 2008
This statistical profile of the foreign-born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.
12.22.2009
Latinos Online, 2006-2008: Narrowing the Gap
From 2006 to 2008, internet use among Latino adults rose by 10 percentage points, from 54% to 64%, compared with a four percentage point rise among whites and a two percentage point rise among blacks. The growth among Latinos was driven mainly by increased usage by the foreign born and those with lower incomes-groups that have low rates of online activity.
12.11.2009
Graphic: Latino Youths Optimistic But Beset by Problems
Never before has a minority group made up so large a share of the nation's youth. A new national survey finds that Latino ages 16 to 25 are satisfied with their lives and optimistic about their futures. They value education, hard work and career success. But they are more likely than other youths to drop out of school, live in poverty and become teen parents. They also have high levels of exposure to gangs. And when it comes to self-identity, most straddle two worlds.
12.11.2009
Between Two Worlds: How Young Latinos Come of Age in America
Latino youths ages 16 to 25 are satisfied with their lives, optimistic about their futures and place a high value on education, hard work and career success. Yet they are much more likely than other American youths to drop out of school and to become teenage parents. They are more likely than white and Asian youths to live in poverty. Two-thirds are the U.S.-born children or more distant descendants of immigrants, and many straddle two cultures -- American and Latin American. A Pew Hispanic Center report based on a new nationwide survey of Latino youths and on analyses of government data examines the values, attitudes, experiences and self-identity of this generation as it comes of age in America.
12.7.2009 Most of what the public learns about Hispanics comes not through focused coverage of the life and times of the nation's largest minority group but through event-driven news stories in which Hispanics are one of many elements. According to a media content analysis done jointly by the Project for Excellence in Journalism and the Pew Hispanic Center, just 645 out of 34,452 stories studied contained substantial references to Hispanics. And only a tiny number, 57 stories, focused directly on the lives of Hispanics in the U.S. The sample of news stories for this study appeared in major media outlets between February 9 and August 9, 2009. 9.25.2009 7.22.2009 Survey data from the U.S. and Mexico reveal a large flow of migrants back to Mexico, but the size of the return flow appears to be stable since 2006. As for immigration to the U.S. from Mexico, surveys from both countries attest to recent substantial decreases in the number of new arrivals, reinforced by U.S. Border Patrol data showing markedly reduced apprehensions of Mexicans trying to cross into the United States illegally. 7.13.2009 5.28.2009 5.28.2009 4.15.2009 4.7.2009 See Also: A Rising Share: Hispanics and Federal Crime 3.31.2009 3.5.2009 3.5.2009 2.18.2009 10.23.2008 10.2.2008 5.8.2008 2.11.2008 1.23.2008 1.23.2008 1.23.2008 12.13.2007 12.6.2007 11.29.2007 7.24.2007 3.28.2007 10.10.2006 10.5.2006 8.29.2006 8.29.2006 8.25.2006 7.5.2006 6.7.2006 5.22.2006 4.26.2006 4.5.2006 3.30.2006 3.7.2006 9.27.2005 7.26.2005 6.27.2005 6.14.2005 3.21.2005 3.16.2005 3.14.2005 3.2.2005 1.24.2005 This chapter of the Pew Research Center's inaugural publication entitled "Trends 2005" describes how the current wave of immigrants has turned Latinos into this nation's largest minority group. At the end of 2004, 40.4 million Hispanics lived in this country, 14 percent of the total U.S. population. Latinos are now not only the nation's fastest-growing minority group, but also its largest. 12.27.2004 3.19.2004 3.19.2004 1.7.2004 10.14.2003 3.27.2003 3.1.2003 12.4.2002 7.30.2002 5.9.2002 3.21.2002 1.24.2002 1.24.2002 1.24.2002 1.1.2002 1.1.2002
Hispanics in the News: An Event-Driven Narrative
Hispanics, Health Insurance and Health Care Access
Six-in-ten Hispanic adults in the U.S. who are neither citizens nor legal permanent residents lack health insurance. That is more than twice as high as the rate among Hispanic adults who are citizens or legal permanent residents and more than three times the rate for the adult U.S. population. Almost all adult Hispanic immigrants who are neither citizens nor legal permanent residents are estimated to be undocumented. This group is also more likely than other Hispanic adults to lack a usual health care provider and seek services at a clinic or health center. About one-in-three of those without a usual provider report finances are a factor but the majority say they do not need one.
Mexican Immigrants: How Many Come? How Many Leave?
The flow of immigrants from Mexico to the United States has declined sharply since mid-decade, but there is no evidence of an increase in Mexican-born migrants returning home from the U.S.
Puerto Ricans in the United States, 2007
This statistical profile describes the demographic, employment and income characteristics of the Puerto Rican population in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The characteristics of Puerto Ricans are contrasted with the characteristics of all Hispanics and the U.S. population overall. The profile uses data from the Census Bureau's 2007 American Community Survey.
Latino Children: A Majority Are U.S.-Born Offspring of Immigrants
The number of Hispanic children has nearly tripled since 1980 and their demographic profile has changed. More than half of the nation's 16 million Hispanic children are now "second generation," meaning they are the U.S.-born sons or daughters of at least one foreign-born parent. In 1980, a majority of Hispanic children were third or higher generation -- the U.S.-born sons or daughters of U.S.-born parents. This report also looks at the differences in the socio-economic profile and legal status of Hispanic children by generation.
Who’s Hispanic?
Is Judge Sonia Sotomayor the first Hispanic ever nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, or does that distinction belong to Justice Benjamin Cardozo, who served on the court from 1932-38 and whose family tree apparently had some roots in Portugal? The question of who's Hispanic -- and who isn't -- turns out to be pretty complicated.
Mexican Immigrants in the United States, 2008
This statistical profile provides historical data on the flow of migrants from Mexico to the U.S. The profile also describes the demographic, employment and income characteristics of Mexican immigrants in the U.S. using data from the March 2008 Current Population Survey.
Hispanics and the Criminal Justice System: Low Confidence, High Exposure
Latinos' confidence in the U.S. criminal justice system is closer to the relatively low levels expressed by blacks than to the higher levels expressed by whites, according to a pair of nationwide surveys by the Pew Research Center. Six-in-ten (61%) Hispanics say they have a great deal or a fair amount of confidence that the police in their communities will do a good job enforcing the law, compared with 78% of whites and 55% of blacks. Fewer than half of Latinos say they are confident that Hispanics will be treated fairly by the courts (49%) and police officers (45%).
Sharp Growth in Suburban Minority Enrollment
Yields Modest Gains in School Diversity
The student population of America's suburban public schools has shot up by 3.4 million in the past decade and a half, and virtually all of this increase (99%) has been due to the enrollment of new Latino, black, and Asian students. Suburban school districts in 2007 educated a student population that was 41.4% non-white, up from 28% in 1993. Despite the sharp rise in the racial and ethnic diversity of suburban district enrollments overall, there has been only a modest increase in the racial and ethnic diversity of student populations at the level of the individual suburban school. For example, in 2007, the typical white suburban student attended a school which had a 75% white student body; in 1993, this same figure had been 83%.
Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 2007
This statistical profile of the foreign-born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.
Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2007
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.
A Rising Share: Hispanics and Federal Crime
Sharp growth in illegal immigration and increased enforcement of immigration laws have altered the ethnic composition of offenders sentenced in federal courts. Latinos, who are 13% of the U.S. adult population, accounted for 40% of all sentenced federal offenders in 2007—up from 24% in 1991. Immigration offenses now represent about one-quarter of all federal convictions, compared with 7% in 1991. Most Latinos with federal sentences are not U.S. citizens. Hispanics are more likely to receive a prison term but it is generally shorter than prison terms for whites and blacks.
Latinos Account for Half of U.S. Population Growth Since 2000
Hispanics have accounted for more than half (50.5%) of the overall population growth in the United States in this decade, a significant new demographic milestone for the nation's largest minority group. A new Pew Hispanic Center report analyzes Latino growth and settlement patterns over the past three decades.
Trends in Unauthorized Immigration: Undocumented Inflow Now Trails Legal Inflow
There were 11.9 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in March 2008, according to new Pew Hispanic Center estimates. The unauthorized immigrant population grew more slowly in the period from 2005 to 2008 than it did earlier in the decade. The inflow of immigrants who are undocumented has now fallen below that of immigrants who are legal permanent residents, reversing a trend that began a decade ago.
Hispanic Women in the United States, 2007
There are 30.1 million Hispanic adults in the United States and 14.4 million of them--or 48%--are women, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates. This fact sheet describes the demographic, employment and income characteristics of Hispanic women in the U.S. using data from the 2007 Current Population Survey and the 2006 American Community Survey. The findings reveal striking differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic women, and native-born and immigrant Hispanic women from different countries of origin.
U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050
If current trends continue, immigrants arriving from 2005 to 2050 and their descendants will account for 82% of the population growth in the United States during this period, according to new projections from the Pew Research Center.
Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2006
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.
Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 2006
This statistical profile of the foreign-born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.
Arizona: Population and Labor Force Characteristics, 2000-2006
This fact sheet presents a demographic profile of Arizona's Hispanic and foreign-born populations in 2006. Arizona is the first state in the nation to enact a law that penalizes businesses for knowingly hiring unauthorized immigrants. The Legal Arizona Workers Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2008.
2007 National Survey of Latinos: As Illegal Immigration Issue Heats Up, Hispanics Feel a Chill
The 2007 National Survey of Latinos finds Hispanics are feeling a range of negative effects from the increased public attention to immigration and stepped up enforcement measures.
Hispanics and the 2008 Election: A Swing Vote?
This report analyzes Census data and voting trends on a state-by-state basis to explore the potential of Latinos to be a "swing vote" in the 2008 presidential election.
English Usage Among Hispanics in the United States
Nearly all adult children of Latino immigrants, but only a small minority of immigrants, describe themselves as fluent in English. English is spoken more commonly at work than at home by all generations. Hispanic immigrants report greater fluency in English if they are highly educated, arrived in the United States as children or have spent many years here. Those born in Puerto Rico and South America are the most likely to say they are proficient in English; Mexican-born are the least likely.
The Latino Electorate: An Analysis of the 2006 Election
Did Latinos register and vote at higher rates in the mid-term elections of 2006? This fact sheet is based on data from a supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS) that is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau every November of an election year. It also includes voting and registration data for both whites and blacks.
Growing Share of Immigrants Choosing Naturalization
The proportion of all legal foreign-born residents who have become naturalized U.S. citizens rose to 52% in 2005, the highest level in a quarter of a century and a 14 percentage point increase since 1990, according to an analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center. Mexicans still have a comparatively lower tendency to become U.S. citizens, but the number of naturalized citizens from Mexico rose by 144% from 1995 to 2005--the sharpest increase among immigrants from any major sending country.
From 200 Million to 300 Million: The Numbers behind Population Growth
The U.S. population will reach 300 million some time this month. This fact sheet presents an analysis, by race/ethnicity and nativity, of the 100 million people who were added to the population since 1966-67. In addition, the fact sheet breaks down the U.S. population, again by race/ethnicity and nativity, when it was 200 million and at the 300 million mark.
The Changing Landscape of American Public Education: New Students, New Schools
This report examines the intersection of two trends that have transformed the landscape of American public education in recent years: a rapid increase in enrollment and a surge in the opening of new schools. The report describes the racial and ethnic components of enrollment growth at various levels of the K-12 system. It also examines the composition of enrollment in newly-opened schools and older schools still in operation as well as the impact of rapid growth in Hispanic enrollment. Detailed statistics at the state level are also provided.
A Statistical Portrait of Hispanics at Mid-Decade
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey public use microdata file, which was released August 29, 2006. The topics covered are virtually the same as those in the long form of the decennial census. Fully implemented nationwide for the first time in 2005, the ACS became the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It provides statistical resources not previously available except with data from a decennial census.
A Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population at Mid-Decade
This statistical profile of the foreign born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey public use microdata file, which was released August 29, 2006. The topics covered by the ACS are virtually the same as those in the long form of the decennial census. Fully implemented nationwide for the first time in 2005, the ACS became the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It provides statistical resources not previously available except with data from a decennial census.
Cubans in the United States
Compared with the rest of the Hispanic population in the United States, Cubans are older, have a higher level of education, higher median household income and higher rate of home ownership. While there are important differences among Cubans, particularly between those who arrived before 1980 and those who arrived in subsequent years, as a group Cubans in the United States are distinct in many ways from the rest of the Hispanic population.
Gender and Migration
This report examines the gender composition of migration to the U.S. The report shows that while females have been an increasing share of migrants worldwide in recent decades, the U.S. has defied the trend. Legal migration to the U.S. is in fact more female as it is elsewhere, but the effects of a growing and largely male unauthorized migration has meant that women are slightly smaller share of the foreign born population than 25 years ago. The report also shows that the profile of the female immigrant to the U.S. has changed considerably over the past quarter century. In 2004, recently arrived female migrants were better educated, older and less likely to have children than their counterparts in 1980.
Hispanic Attitudes Toward Learning English
Hispanics by a large margin believe that immigrants have to speak English to be a part of American society and even more so that English should be taught to the children of immigrants, according to recent surveys conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.
Modes of Entry for the Unauthorized Migrant Population
Nearly half of all the unauthorized migrants now living in the United States entered the country legally through a port of entry such as an airport or a border crossing point where they were subject to inspection by immigration officials.
As much as 45% of the total unauthorized migrant population entered the country with visas that allowed them to visit or reside in the U.S. for a limited amount of time. Known as "overstayers," these migrants became part of the illegal population when they remained after their visas had expired.
Estimates of the Unauthorized Migrant Population for States based on the March 2005 CPS
This fact sheet presents estimates for the number of unauthorized migrants living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on a well-established methodology applied to data from the March 2005 Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS, a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted jointly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, is best known as the source for monthly unemployment statistics. Every March both the sample size and the questionnaire of the CPS are augmented to produce the Annual Social and Economic Supplement, which provides additional data on several additional subjects, including the foreign-born population.
Recently Arrived Migrants and the Congressional Debate on Immigration
Some of the proposals in immigration legislation under consideration in the U.S. Congress would distinguish between unauthorized migrants of long standing and those more recently arrived. For example, one alternative would offer a path towards immediate legal status for those who have been in the U.S. for five years or more while those with less time in the country would have the chance to apply for temporary worker status. This Fact Sheet presents information from several data sources showing that short-term illegal migrants comprise a sizeable and somewhat distinct population.
America's Immigration Quandary: No Consensus on Immigration Problem or Proposed Fixes
Americans are increasingly concerned about immigration. A growing number believe that immigrants are a burden to the country, taking jobs and housing and creating strains on the health care system. Yet the public remains largely divided in its views of the overall effect of immigration. Roughly as many believe that newcomers to the U.S. strengthen American society as say they threaten traditional American values, and over the longer term, positive views of Latin American immigrants, in particular, have improved dramatically. Reflecting this ambivalence, the public is split over many of the policy proposals aimed at dealing with the estimated 11.5 million-12 million unauthorized migrants in the U.S. The poll is based on a survey conducted nationally and in five cities in conjunction with the Pew Research Center for People and the Press.
Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U.S.: Estimates Based on the March 2005 Current Population Survey
Analysis of the March 2005 Current Population Survey shows that there were 11.1 million unauthorized migrants in the United States a year ago. Based on analysis of other data sources that offer indications of the pace of growth in the foreign-born population, the Center developed an estimate of 11.5 to 12 million for the unauthorized population as of March 2006.
Rise, Peak and Decline: Trends in U.S. Immigration 1992 – 2004
A new report by the Pew Hispanic Center, "Rise, Peak and Decline: Trends in U.S. Immigration 1992 – 2004," provides the first detailed analysis of recent year-to-year immigration flows to the United States. Using newly developed statistical methods, Jeffrey S. Passel, one of the nation's most respected demographers in the field of immigration and a senior research associate at the Center, breaks down the overall increases in the foreign-born population that the United States has experienced since the early 1990s into estimates of annual flows and charts key changes in its major components, including countries of origin and legal status. With co-author and Center director Roberto Suro, Passel offers new insights into the pace and content of migration. The report is based on multiple data sources compiled by the US Census Bureau.
The New Latino South: The Context and Consequences of Rapid Population Growth
The Pew Hispanic Center released a new report that examines the rapid growth of the Hispanic population in the South. The study details the distinctive characteristics of the Latinos moving to new settlement areas, the very successful economic development models that prompted the Hispanic influx and the consequences for local policymakers. The report provides detailed demographic and economic data on six states: Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Hispanics and the 2004 Election: Population, Electorate and Voters
Hispanics accounted for half of the population growth in the United States between the elections of 2000 and 2004 but only one-tenth of the increase in the total votes cast, according to a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This gap between the very substantial growth of the Hispanic population and much more modest growth in Hispanic electoral clout has been developing for a generation but has widened considerably in recent years.
Unauthorized Migrants: Numbers and Characteristics
Contrary to the stereotype of undocumented migrants as single males with very little education who perform manual labor in agriculture or construction, a new Pew Hispanic Center report shows that most of the unauthorized population lives in families, a quarter has at least some college education and that illegal workers can be found in many sectors of the US economy. The report builds on previous work that estimated the size and geographic dispersal of the undocumented population and offers a portrait of that population in unprecedented detail by examining family composition, educational attainment, income and employment.
Estimates of the Size and Characteristics of the Undocumented Population
The undocumented population of the United States now numbers nearly 11 million people, including more than 6 million Mexicans according to new estimates by the Pew Hispanic Center, based on the most recent official data available. State-level data shows that Arizona and North Carolina now rank among the states with the largest populations of unauthorized migrants. The estimates were developed by Jeffrey S. Passel, a senior research associate at the Center and a veteran demographer who specializes in the foreign-born population.
Hispanics and the Social Security Debate
This report examines the demographic and economic characteristics that define Latinos' stake in the Social Security debate as well as their views on major policy options. The topics covered in the report include: the impact of President Bush's proposals for individual investment accounts on various segments of the Hispanic population; Hispanics' reliance on Social Security compared with other racial and ethnic groups; and the role of Latino workers in helping finance the system as the Baby Boom generation heads to retirement. In addition a new public opinion survey of a nationally representative sample of the Hispanic population examines Latino views of President Bush's proposals and other issues in the policy debate.
Survey of Mexican Migrants, Part Two: Attitudes about Voting in Mexican Elections and Ties to Mexico
As the Mexican Congress debates a proposal that would grant Mexican citizens living in the United States the right to vote in Mexican presidential elections for the first time, the Pew Hispanic Center releases another in its series of reports on an unprecedented survey of Mexican migrants in the United States. The survey findings reveal whether the migrants would vote if they could and which segments of the migrant population are likely to meet key eligibility requirements. The report also explores other ties between the Mexican migrant population in the United States and their home country.
Survey of Mexican Migrants, Part One: Attitudes about Immigration and Major Demographic Characteristics
As the debate over immigration reform intensifies, the Pew Hispanic Center has conducted an unprecedented survey of Mexican migrants in the United States, including thousands who say they have no U.S.-issued identity documents. The survey explores their willingness to participate in a temporary worker program of the sort proposed by President Bush as well as a permanent legalization program. The survey also provides detailed information on demographic characteristics, living arrangements and work experiences. The survey sample is comprised of 4,836 Mexican adults interviewed as they applied for identity cards at Mexican consulates in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Raleigh and Fresno.
Hispanic Trends: A People in Motion
From Trends 2005: a publication of the Pew Research Center
Dispersal and Concentration: Patterns Of Latino Residential Settlement
This Pew Hispanic Center report reveals that some 20 million Hispanics--57 percent of the total--live in neighborhoods mostly populated by non-Hispanics. Rather than clustering in ethnic enclaves, these Latinos, including large shares of the immigrant and low-income populations, are scattered in neighborhoods where on average only seven percent of the residents are Hispanics. The remaining 43 percent of Latino population lives in densely Hispanic neighborhoods that are large and growing especially in major metropolitan areas with long-standing Latino populations. There is diversity, however, even in these neighborhoods where Latinos are the dominant population. A mix of native-born and immigrant Latinos, Spanish and English speakers, the poor and middle income all live together in these heavily Hispanic areas.
Latinos in California, Texas, New York, Florida and New Jersey
This survey brief compares the views and experiences of Latinos living in five states with large Latino populations. Topics include country of origin, identity, citizenship, politics and discrimination.
Bilingualism
This survey brief explores the languages Latinos speak in the United States. A close look is taken at those Latinos who speak both English and Spanish.
Immigration Data Excerpts: From the 2002 National Survey of Latinos and 2002 Pew Hispanic Center Report on Undocumented Workers
In light of President George W. Bush's January 7, 2004 announcement of a new immigration initiative, the Pew Hispanic Center provided information about attitudes towards immigrant and immigration policy, and estimates of the size of the undocumented population in the United States. Sources for the data are the National Survey of Latinos, conducted in 2002 jointly by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Center's March 2002 report entitled "How Many Undocumented: The Numbers Behind the U.S.-Mexico Migration Talk."
The Rise Of The Second Generation: Changing Patterns In Hispanic Population Growth
As it continues to grow, the composition of the Hispanic population is undergoing a fundamental change: Births in the United States are outpacing immigration as the key source of growth. Over the next twenty years this will produce an important shift in the makeup of the Hispanic population with second-generation Latinos--the U.S.-born children of immigrants-- emerging as the largest component of that population. Given the very substantial differences in earnings, education, fluency in English, and attitudes between foreign-born and native-born Latinos, this shift has profound implications for many realms of public policy, and indeed for anyone seeking to understand the nature of demographic change in the United States.
Hispanics In The Military
Latino enlisted personnel are underrepresented when compared to the size of the civilian labor force of the appropriate age. They are on par when compared to civilian labor force of the appropriate age that possess the necessary educational credentials. And, they are overrepresented when compared to the civilian labor force of the appropriate age that posses both the necessary educational credentials and immigration status.
Hispanics in the Military
The war in Iraq has again raised questions about the level of Hispanic representation in the U.S. military. This fact sheet presents several means to assess that issue.
The Improving Educational Profile Of Latino Immigrants
It is a commonplace claim that the education level of the Latino immigrant population is continually falling behind that of the U.S.-born population. However, the Pew Hispanic Center finds that the educational profile of the adult population of foreign-born Latinos has improved significantly during the past three decades. These gains, however, have not yet produced a notable convergence with the level of education in the native-born U.S. population. During the period 1970 to 2000 the native-born population also experienced improvements of education that outpaced the progress among Latino immigrants. Nonetheless, the trends identified in this report suggest that the gap between immigrants and natives will narrow in the future.
Latino Growth In Metropolitan America: Changing Patterns, New Locations
The Latino population is rapidly evolving and that its demographic impact on the nation is changing quickly. Significant concentrations of Hispanics are no longer confined to a few regions such as Southern California or the Southwest, or only to a few cities like New York and Miami. Instead, in the coming years Hispanic population growth will most impact communities that had relatively few Latinos a decade ago.
Counting The : How Many Colombians, Dominicans, Ecuadorians, Guatemalans And Salvadorans Are There In The United States?
This study reports on an alternative estimate of the breakdown of the Hispanic population according to national origin groups. Based on recently released Census Bureau data, the estimate reduces the "other" category by more than half. This estimate does not change the overall size of the Hispanic population, but it does offer a new calculation of how national groups are distributed within that population.
How Many Undocumented: The Numbers Behind The U.S.-Mexico Migration Talks
There are more than 5 million unauthorized workers in the U.S. economy. This study estimates that these workers have become a very substantial presence in the sectors where they are concentrated. More than a million undocumented persons are employed in manufacturing and a similar number in the service industries. More than 600,000 work in construction and more than 700,000 in restaurants.
Estimates of Numbers of Unauthorized Migrants Residing In the United States: The Total, Mexican, and Non-Mexican Central American Unauthorized Populations in Mid-2001
This brief report presents estimates of the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States in mid-2001 for three separate groups: the total unauthorized population, the Mexican unauthorized population, and the non-Mexican Central American unauthorized population. The approach to estimation used is one set forth recently by Bean, et al (2001) that extends and amplifies work originally begun as part of the Mexico/U.S. Binational Migration Study (1997; Bean, et al. 1998). The specific features of the approach are described in detail in Bean, et al (2001). Basically, the method involves subtracting estimates of the numbers of persons residing in the country legally from the numbers of foreign born persons in official government surveys (which are known to contain both legal and unauthorized persons), and then adjusting for extra undercount of such persons in the surveys. The resulting figures give estimates of various unauthorized populations in the country.
The Impact of the 2001/2002 Economic Recession on Hispanic Workers: A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Three Generations
Currently there are nearly 35 million Hispanics in the U.S., making them the second-largest ethnic group in the country. But the effect of the current recession on this important group is unknown. Yet, it is unlikely that all Hispanics have been similarly affected by the recession. Hispanics are a varied group not just in terms of national origin, but also in terms of time in the U.S., ranging from newly arrived immigrants to U.S.-born Hispanics. This report examines how three generations of Hispanics have fared in September and October 2001, compared to September 2000 and September 1999.
The Socioeconomic Status of Hispanic New Yorkers: Current Trends and Future Prospects
This research report presents data showing the major demographic and socioeconomic changes in the Hispanic population of New York in the 1990s. It shows that despite gains in some areas, on average, Hispanics in New York were not significantly better-off in 2000 than in 1990. The household income per capita of Hispanic New Yorkers increased only slightly in the 1990s, compared to a much stronger expansion among White New Yorkers. By 2000, Hispanics displayed per-capita income of about one-third that of the non-Hispanic White population. The roots of the lack of change in Hispanic overall socioeconomic status in the 1990s lie, first, in the major demographic changes in the city, as reflected in an influx of relatively unskilled immigrants and an exodus of relatively skilled, high-income Hispanic New Yorkers; it also responds to the sluggish economic recovery of the city from one of its most severe recessions this century.
Hispanic Health: Divergent and Changing
Latinos are in good health relative to most other Americans. Their favorable health does not stem from better access to medical care. In fact, many lack health insurance and regular care. Latinos, especially immigrants, have healthy lifestyles, likely lowering mortality from major chronic diseases. However, as Latinos adopt the lifestyle of the mainstream, they acquire habits that lower their health status.
U.S. Born Hispanics Increasingly Drive Population Developments
The Hispanic population defies simple characterizations; there is a diversity of groups that differ not only by country of origin but also by immigrant status and racial self-identification. Having grown rapidly through immigration, its future dynamics will increasingly be driven by today’s young native born. Though concentrated in established urban areas, Latinos also retain a large rural presence and have recently spread to new areas of the country.