Immigrant Children: Introducing the Issue

Large numbers of immigrant children are experiencing serious problems—inadequate education, poor physical and mental health, and poverty—that compromise their assimilation into American society. The purpose of this volume is to examine the well–being of these children and what might be done to improve their educational attainment, health, social and cognitive development, and long–term prospects for economic mobility. Immigrant children are the fastest–growing segment of the U.S. population today. Their future, however, is highly uncertain. Although nearly three-fourths of these children are citizens by birth, their status as dependents of unauthorized residents thwarts their prospects for integration into U.S. society during their crucial formative years. Even having certifiably legal status is not enough to guarantee children's access to social programs if parents lack information about child benefits and entitlements, as well as the savvy to navigate complex bureaucracies. Contributors to the volume review research about the well–being of immigrant youth in the United States—demographic trends and family arrangements, educational trends and differentials, and youthful immigrants' health status, social integration, and participation in welfare and other public programs. Contributors also suggest policies to improve the well–being of immigrant youth.