Statistics on U.S. Immigration An Assessment of Data Needs for Future Research (1996) / Chapter Skim
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5 Social and Family Networks
5 Social and Family Networks
Pages 46-56
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From page 46... ...
In particular, when migration is viewed as a process, the information contained in administrative records does not include the relevant data. Empirical work suggests that transnational migration unfolds with certain regularities over time.
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From page 47... ...
Lacking knowledge about prevailing wage rates, work habits, legal conventions, and social expectations, these first immigrants are vulnerable to exploitation and mistreatment, particularly if they are illegal aliens. There is a growing amount of empirical research literature on the migration process, reporting on Mexican emigration (Massey et al., 1987~.
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From page 48... ...
As a result, the demographic base of migration steadily widens and the mean age of migration drops. Not only does the act of migration induce changes in individual immigrants and their family, but it also changes social structure in ways that spread migration within the originating community.
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From page 49... ...
Based on the study of Mexican communities, Massey and his colleagues report considerable evidence of common patterns of migration that are in line with the empirical observations of other investigators. These results suggest that common migration processes occur across a wide range of Mexican communities, yet their expression is shaped by structural factors operating at the aggregate level.
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From page 50... ...
Existing data, however, provide limited information for analysis of this important policy question. Questions on large surveys, such as the Current Population Survey and the decennial census, on the type of visa of the legal immigrant at entry, indicating sponsorship, could help predict immigrant economic success and provide important information on the determination of admission criteria.
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From page 51... ...
Net immigration figures display a much greater growth in the volume of Asian immigration than of European-origin immigration in recent years than do gross immigration data. Census-based data on the foreign-born suggest that emigration, besides being selective with respect to country of origin, is also selective with respect to age, sex, and schooling (Jasso and Rosenzweig, 1990:138-144~.
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From page 52... ...
These factors affect the choice of destination, as well as the prospects for return migration. The environment of immigrants includes not only the social and economic conditions at the places of origin and destination, but also the family ties and the social networks of alternative places of destination.
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From page 53... ...
Whereas the higher labor force participation rates among foreign-born families help to increase overall household income, the complexity of family structure may limit the mobility of individual members. There has been relatively little recent systematic study of immigrant families.
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From page 54... ...
As described in this chapter, the migration process involves a social network, with the immigrant situated in a complex set of family and relational ties. The available immigration data from administrative records, however, provide information on individual events, abstracting the immigrant from the temporal and social networks.
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From page 55... ...
In general, workshop participants urged the Immigration and Naturalization Service to consider enhancements to its the creation of family records. Linkage of current Immigration and Naturalization Service administrative records is feasible in general, although it is complicated by name changes in some records.
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From page 56... ...
would increase the usefulness of current administrative data on new permanent resident aliens. Although the collection of additional information at the time of visa application would increase respondent burden, it would enhance the research value of INS records for important policy analysis.
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