Children in immigrant families: The U.S. and 50 states

This Research Brief draws on new results of Census 2000 data to take a closer look at children in immigrant families, that is, children with at least one foreign-born parent. For example, the brief reports that children in newcomer families are driving the nation’s racial and ethnic transformation. Moreover, these children constitute a very diverse group in terms of their national origin, as well as the places that they now call home. Children in newcomer families also have strong ties to their adopted country; four out of five are American citizens and three out of four are fluent in English. At the same time, children of immigrants are less likely to be enrolled in preschool programs, putting them at a disadvantage when it comes to the cognitive aspects of school readiness and English-language fluency.