Immigrant Integration in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods

The two largest groups of immigrants in the target neighborhoods — Mexican/Central Americans and Southeast Asians — have relatively high rates of poverty and economic hardship, along with generally low levels of advancement and integration on most but not all measures.

Southeast Asian immigrants mostly came into the country as refugees, received substantial integration services after entry, and have a high rate of citizenship. They fare far better on measures of economic advancement and integration than comparable groups given their very low levels of educational attainment and English proficiency.

By contrast, most Mexican and Central American immigrants are not citizens and many are likely to be unauthorized — although we could not measure this directly in the survey data. They are generally barred from public benefits, ineligible for citizenship and subject potentially to arrest and deportation.

….community interventions should be designed to build on the strengths of existing provider networks — including those for refugees, other immigrant populations and native-born populations — to extend services to all needy neighborhood residents.