Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Children of immigrants have exceptionally high poverty rates. According to 2016 Current Population Survey data, 20% are living below the poverty line as defined by the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). Among children of Mexican and Central American immigrants, the largest and most disadvantaged national origin group, nearly one in three are below the poverty line. The national poverty rate for all children is just 16% (Renwick and Fox, 2016).

This paper quantifies the poverty risk associated with being a child of immigrants. Using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement, I show how this risk varies by state, and I take into account state-level variation in the prevalence of household risk factors (unemployment, low education, early childbearing, and single motherhood). Model results suggest that after controlling for individual and household characteristics, the poverty risk associated with being a child of immigrants is, on average, as large as the risk associated with living in a single mother headed household.

The second part of the analysis simulates changes in poverty – for children in general and for children of immigrants in particular – based on expanding and restricting SNAP (formerly food stamps) coverage for immigrant households. I measure child poverty under three counterfactual scenarios: expanding SNAP coverage to the level of the most inclusive states, restricting SNAP coverage to the level of the least inclusive states, and eliminating SNAP for all households with any foreign-born non-citizens. States with inclusive SNAP policies count unauthorized immigrants in the family size calculation. These states also provide state food assistance benefits to recently-arrived lawfully present immigrants who are not eligible for SNAP under federal guidelines. The least inclusive states count income from unauthorized immigrants when determining SNAP eligibility, but do not count unauthorized immigrants when determining family size. The third simulation eliminates all SNAP benefits for immigrant households, a scenario that is consistent with policy goals outlined in a recent draft of President Trump’s Immigration Executive Order.

This study is especially timely, given recent proposals by the current administration to restrict immigration and immigrants’ access to welfare benefits. After controlling for the prevalence of unemployment, low education, early childbearing, and single motherhood, the current study quantifies the state-level impact of potential cuts to the SNAP program for immigrant families and their children.