Migration from Latin American Countries to the United States: The Economic, Social and Reproductive Lives of Hispanic Female Immigrants, 1980
| Published date | 01 December 1991 |
| Date | 01 December 1991 |
| Author | M. D. Arsdol,N. Gorwaney,D. M. Heer,L. A. Schuerman |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2435.1991.tb01041.x |
Migration from Latin American Countries
to
the United States:
The Economic, Social and Reproductive Lives
of
Hispanic Female Immigrants,
1980
N. GORWANEY
*,
M.
D.
VAN ARSDOL
**,
D.
M. HEER
**
and L. A. SCHUERMAN
**
Latin America is replacing Europe as the major supplier of immigrants to the United
States. Immigrants from Central and South America comprised about 15 per cent of all
immigrants in 1970 and
25
per cent in 1980 (Appendix, Table
1,
page 596). The
percentage of the United States foreign born population of Mexican origin increased
from
8
in
1970
to 16 in 1980; comparable percentages of Mexican born women of child
bearing age increased from
10
to
18 (Appendix, Table
2,
page 597).
High fertility of immigrants in the country of origin is positively associated with high
fertility
in
the country of destination (Ford, 1986). Compared to the United States,
fertility is high in Latin American countries, particularly in Mexico, Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Brazil, and Venezuela. Crude birth rates,
circa
1980, were
40
or more/1000 population; gross reproduction rates ranged from 3.4
to 3.6 (United Nations 1981). Female immigrants from Latin American countries are a
diverse category. It
is
useful
to
describe their socioeconomic characteristics and fertility
patterns in the United States and to examine their sources of differential fertility.
Using the one
per
cent public
use
sample from the 1970 and 1980 United States
census, we first compare changes
in
socio economic characteristics from 1970 to 1980,
and then examine the determinants of fertility of female immigrants to the United States,
aged 16-49, from four Latin American areas or countries of birth. Areas of migrant origin
were selected on the basis of fertility levels and sociocultural characteristics. (Owing
to the small numbers
of
female immigrants from certain countries, migrants from some
countries within regions with similar fertility and social characteristics were combined).
Migrants from the following areas of origin are considered: Mexico, Cuba, South
America (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and Brazil) and Central America (El
Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama).
*
State University of New York, Old Westbury New York
(U.S.A.).
**
University of Southern California,
Los
Angeles (U.S.A.).
573
METHODS
Information from the 1980 census of the United States was employed to index the
dependent variables, cumulative fertility (CEB, children ever born), and current fertility
(CURF, children under
5
years of age). Our analysis of fertility determinants
of
the
Hispanic immigrants is based on variables suggested by several models (Bongaarts,
1978; Davis and Blake, 1956; Freedman, 1975; Goldstein and Goldstein, 1983; Gordon,
1964), which emphasize demographic, socioeconomic and assimilation variables. The
United States censuses provide limited information regarding those variables which
affect fertility. These variables are here classified into three categories as defined in
Figure 1 (page 583).
Demographic characteristics, limited to age and marital status, are significant in
relation to fertility; married women tend to have more children than the single, and older
women have more children ever born than do younger women.
Socioeconomic characteristics influence the formation of values, role orientations
and life plans, and thus affect fertility. Those here considered as affecting immigrant
fertility are rural-urban residence (URBAN) region of residence in the United States
(REG), education (EDUC), occupational status (OCC), employment (HOURS), and
income (INC). Education is a proxy for “tastes” concerning lifestyle and children, as
well as knowledge of, and effective use of contraceptive techniques. There is
a
negative
relationship between education and fertility (Kandis, 1977; Little, 1978; Rodriguez and
Cleland, 1980). Employment competes with child rearing for women’s time and
personal resources; thus employed women tend to have fewer children compared to
housewives, and women with higher occupational status have fewer children (Rizk,
1978; Rodriguez and Cleland, 1980).
Available assimilation variables are duration of residence in the United States (DUR),
citizenship (CITZ) and language proficiency (LAN). The assimilation perspective holds
that as duration of residence increases, immigrants adopt the behaviors, customs, values,
and norms of the host society (Gordon, 1964); thus the fertility level of immigrants is
expected to decrease toward the United States national mean. Similarly, citizenship and
use
of
the English language indicate exposure to and commitment to the cultural norms
and values of the host society, including those governing family size.
CHANGES IN THE SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
OF
HISPANIC IMMIGRANT WOMEN FROM 1970- 1980
Before analyzing fertility determinants, it is useful to examine changes in the
socioeconomic characteristics of Hispanic women of child bearing age from 1970 to
1980. The United States admits about
400,000
immigrants each year. The Immigration
Act of 1965 ended a policy of using national origin as the major criterian for admitting
immigrants, set more equitable quotas from sending countries, reduced discrimination
based on origin, race and color, and this resulted in changes
in
the composition of the
immigrant population.
Most foreign born persons enumerated
in
the 1970 census (95 per cent) were admitted
to the United States before the 1965 Act went into full effect. Post- 1965 immigrants are
more diverse in terms of demographic, social, and economic characteristics than pre-
1965 immigrants. The 1980 census provides information on immigrants admitted
in
1970-74 and 1975-80. The 1970 census profile of the foreign born may not be similar
to that of the 1980 profile due to changes in the volume and composition of recent
immigration flows.
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