Second generation adult children of immigrants are better off than their parents, in terms of socio-economic well-being, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census data. The children of first-generation immigrants have higher incomes, higher levels of education and are more often homeowners.
Asian and Hispanic Americans comprise about 7 in 10 of today’s adult immigrants, and about half of today’s adult second generation Americans. The Pew survey found that this group was more likely to speak English than their parents; to have friends and spouses outside their ethnic or racial group; to say their group gets along with others and to think of themselves as the “typical American.”
Furthermore, the study found that second-generation Asian and Hispanic Americans place a higher importance than the general public on quality of life indicators such as hard work and career success. The group is also more likely to identify themselves as liberal than conservative or Republican. Second generation Americans are also more likely to acknowledge their standard of living is higher than that of their parents at the same age.
If current immigration trends and birth rates remain on the same path of growth, virtually all (93% of the growth of the nation’s working-age population between now and 2050 will be accounted for by immigrants and their US-born children. This statistic was derived from a population projection by the Pew Research Center.
Furthermore, the Asian and Hispanic immigrant population (first and second generations combined) could grow from 76 million to more than 160 million, at which point it would comprise a record share of the US population, at 37%.
These forward-moving numbers are positive attributes for those considering immigration as well as raising children in the US. Seven in 10 second generation Asian Americans say that conditions for raising children are better in the US than in their parents’ country of origin. Like their immigrant parents, second-generation Americans rate the US more favorably than their ancestral country in terms of treatment of the poor and the opportunity to get ahead.
根据皮尤研究中心的统计数据显示,就社会、经济福利等方面,第二代移民的成年 子女较之其父辈拥有更高质量生活。第一代移民的子女拥有更高收入、受教育水平 更高、绝大多数都已拥有房产。
目前移民的成年人群中,10个移民家庭就有7个自亚洲和拉美国家。其中有一半是 其父辈移民过来的,子女作为移民的第二代现在安家成年。皮尤调研显示,较之其 父母,这些第二代移民群体英语沟通能力更强;朋友和配偶也不仅局限于原来圈 子,跨种族、肤色交友更多元;与外界接触更频繁且本身也认为自己是“典型的美 国人”。
此外研究发现,第二代亚裔以及拉丁裔美国人较之一般民众更重视生活质量指数, 如辛勤工作、事业成功等。他们倾向于认为自己更自由而非保守共和党。移民的第 二代美国人更认可在年轻时候,他们的生活质量和水准比其父母更高。
同时根据皮尤研究中心的人口统计预测数据显示,如果目前的移民潮流和出生率维 持目前的增长趋势,则从现在到2050年,几乎93%的美国劳动人口将依赖于外来 移民以及其在美国后生下的子女。
此外,亚裔和拉丁裔移民人口(含第一代和第二代)可能从7600万增长到1.6亿。 到那时它将占美国总人口的37%。
这些不断增长的数字对考虑美国移民和在美国生小孩的人来说是利好消息。70%的 第二代移民认为在美国抚养小孩的环境优于其原籍国。如他们父母一样,第二代移 民也更同意在对待穷人、机遇发展等方面美国更具优势。