Pew: Latinos in America are Americans

[heyjude]

Pew: US Latino Population Less Foreign-Born / by Julio Ricardo Varela | September 15, 2015

This morning, on the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month 2015, the Pew Research Center published new findings about the country’s Latinos. The biggest conclusion Pew made? The U.S. Latino population is becoming less foreign-born.

As the study states, “Overall,the share of the Hispanic population that is foreign-born has decreased from 40% in 2000 to 35% in 2013.” Pew based its analysis on the latest information from the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the chart below, which took into account six out of the top seven most populous Hispanic origin groups in the United States that Pew tracks (Puerto Ricans are excluded in this analysis because they are U.S. citizens), those of Guatemalan descent have the highest share of foreign-born immigrants in its origin group (64%), while those of Mexican descent have the lowest share (33%). All the groups listed in the chart saw a decline, when compared to 2000.



The analysis also made sure to emphasize this point: “Despite falling immigrant shares across all Latino origin groups, fast Latino population growth has led to continued growth in the number of Latino immigrants (though growth has slowed in recent years). Among all Latinos, there were 14.1 million immigrants in 2000. By 2005, that number reached 16.8 million, and by 2013, there were 19 million Latino immigrants in the U.S. The same pattern is present among all Latino origin groups, though for three —Ecuadorians, Mexicans and Nicaraguans— the number of immigrants has declined since 2010.”

Pew also shared its latest data about who makes up the U.S. Latino population, ranking the most populous groups and their population share. According to Pew, “the nation’s Latino population is its largest minority group, numbering more than 53 million, or 17.1% of the U.S. population, in 2013.”



The study did not take into account origin groups from other parts of Latin America, specifically Brazil. Since the Pew study uses the term “Latino” in the report several case, there could be a case to include Brazilians in later studies. Estimates from 2011 say that there were about 371,000 Brazilians living in the United States, and some say the number is close to 500,000. If Brazil were added to the mix, there would be more Brazilians living in the United States than there are Nicaraguans, Venezuelans and Argentineans, respectively.

A few other points from today’s Pew report:

Mexicans make up 64.1% of all U.S. Latinos. Puerto Ricans are next at 9.5%. After that, according to Pew, “no other [group] makes up more than 5% of the U.S. Latino population. Cubans and Salvadorans, the two next largest groups, each make up just under 4% of the Latino population, with populations of about 2 million each.” For this analysis, is important to note that Pew did not include Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States. If it were to take that into account, it could add another 3.5 million Puerto Ricans into the fold, which would result in about 13 million Puerto Ricans.

Venezuelans still top the list of highest foreign-born share. “Venezuelans had the highest foreign-born share, at 69% in 2013. They are followed by Peruvians at 65%, Guatemalans at 64% and Hondurans at 63%. Only Mexicans (33%), Spaniards (14%) and Puerto Ricans (2%) have foreign-born shares of less than half of their total population.” Pew did not list Venezuelans in the bigger chart it presented at the beginning of its report because the Venezuelan population in the U.S. did not crack the Top 12 in population.

The vast majority of U.S. Latinos are citizens. “When it comes to U.S. citizenship, about three-in-four Hispanics (76%) are either U.S.-born (65%) or naturalized U.S. citizens (11%). Among the origin groups, those with the highest citizenship rates are Puerto Ricans (99%), Spaniards (93%), Cubans (76%) and Mexicans (75%). By comparison, Hondurans and Guatemalans have the lowest rates of citizenship, at about 50%.” (Brief aside: I want to meet those Puerto Ricans who are not U.S. citizens, because citizenship for Puerto Ricans is automatic, unless these Puerto Ricans live in the U.S. and have renounced their citizenship. On this point, Pew says: “Hispanics who trace their roots to Puerto Rico and were born in the U.S. or its territories, including Puerto Rico, are U.S. citizens at birth. However, a small number of Puerto Rican origin Hispanics—38,000 in 2013—indicate they were born in another country and also indicate they are not U.S. citizens.”)

Not only are Mexicans the most populous group, they are also the youngest. Mexicans, according to Pew, “have the lowest median age, at 26 in 2013.” On the other hand, “Cubans are the oldest with a median age of 40.”

The entire Pew study (which spans four Internet pages) contains some very important data about U.S. Latinos. Let me know what you think of the findings by adding your comments at the end of this post. I am particularly interested if you think Brazilians should be added to any new findings.

[ttt]

Sept 15, 2015 11:59:24 GMT -5 heyjude said:

 Among the origin groups, those with the highest citizenship rates are Puerto Ricans (99%)

Only 99%? 

[Velar Fricative]

Sept 15, 2015 12:18:03 GMT -5 ttt said:

Sept 15, 2015 11:59:24 GMT -5 heyjude said:

 Among the origin groups, those with the highest citizenship rates are Puerto Ricans (99%)

Only 99%? 

Maybe they weren't born in Puerto Rico but came to the mainland from there? ETA: Or maybe just live in Puerto Rico but weren't born there, as I'm not sure if the numbers are including residents in PR or people from PR who came to the mainland.

ETA2: Never mind, just got to the part where Pew didn't include Puerto Ricans living in PR.

[msmerymac]

Sept 15, 2015 12:18:03 GMT -5 ttt said:

Sept 15, 2015 11:59:24 GMT -5 heyjude said:

 Among the origin groups, those with the highest citizenship rates are Puerto Ricans (99%)

Only 99%? 

I suppose one could be from somewhere else, but raised in PR? Or... have a Puerto Rican parent, yet somehow not be a US citizen?

I have a friend who had dual citizenship (US/Canadian) and technically was asked to renounce her Canadian citizenship when she was 18. So maybe that happened.

[ttt]

Sept 15, 2015 12:19:55 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Sept 15, 2015 12:18:03 GMT -5 ttt said:

Only 99%? 

Maybe they weren't born in Puerto Rico but came to the mainland from there? ETA: Or maybe just live in Puerto Rico but weren't born there, as I'm not sure if the numbers are including residents in PR or people from PR who came to the mainland.

I'm confused too. I guess someone could be Latin of non-PR origin but be living in PR and consider themselves Puerto Rican?? 

It's like saying "99% of Americans are American citizens." What? 

[Cicero]

Sept 15, 2015 12:18:03 GMT -5 ttt said:

Sept 15, 2015 11:59:24 GMT -5 heyjude said:

 Among the origin groups, those with the highest citizenship rates are Puerto Ricans (99%)

Only 99%? 

My guess is that they were born abroad to people who don't meet the residency requirements to pass down their US citizenship.

ETA: The same way a small % of children born to non-PR US citizens aren't automatically American citizens themselves.

[ttt]

Sept 15, 2015 12:23:06 GMT -5 Cicero said:

Sept 15, 2015 12:18:03 GMT -5 ttt said:

Only 99%? 

My guess is that they were born abroad to people who don't meet the residency requirements to pass down their US citizenship.

Oh that could be. That still seems like it would be a really tiny, statistically insignificant number, though, considering there aren't *that* many Puerto Ricans out there, period, let alone ones who are having children abroad, let alone ones who are having children abroad *and* never lived in the US or PR long enough to meet residency requirements. Huh.

[heyjude]

Sept 15, 2015 12:25:04 GMT -5 ttt said:

Sept 15, 2015 12:23:06 GMT -5 Cicero said:

My guess is that they were born abroad to people who don't meet the residency requirements to pass down their US citizenship.

Oh that could be. That still seems like it would be a really tiny, statistically insignificant number, though, considering there aren't *that* many Puerto Ricans out there, period, let alone ones who are having children abroad, let alone ones who are having children abroad *and* never lived in the US or PR long enough to meet residency requirements. Huh.

That's why it's 99%.

[ttt]

OK I just saw this:

However, a small number of Puerto Rican origin Hispanics—38,000 in 2013—indicate they were born in another country and also indicate they are not U.S. citizens.


38,000 people? I'm so curious to hear some of these stories now!


ETA: although now I'm wondering if some of these people are like the 19 year olds who identify as "Boomer Generation" LOL

[Velar Fricative]

The numbers for Mexicans don't surprise me. In the Southwest there are big populations of Americans of Mexican descent who've been living in what is now the US far longer than most American families. The numbers for Spaniards don't surprise me either since we're not seeing huge immigration from Spain anymore. And wealthier Venezuelans have been recently emigrating from Venezuela because of Chavez (now Maduro), so their foreign-born numbers being higher also isn't surprising.

And while we do have a Mexican population here, the Puerto Rican and Dominican communities dominate NY, and Cubans to a lesser extent (especially in NJ). I always have to remember that there's a whole other part of the country when I read about how Mexicans comprise two-thirds of the Hispanic population in this country.

[lilles]

There are also a small number of Puerto Ricans who renounce their American citizens for political reasons. They are Puerto Rican citizens and have Puerto Rican passports.

[ttt]

Sept 15, 2015 20:47:52 GMT -5 lilles said:

There are also a small number of Puerto Ricans who renounce their American citizens for political reasons. They are Puerto Rican citizens and have Puerto Rican passports.

What? I've never heard of this. This isn't an official thing, is it? 

[lilles]

Sept 15, 2015 21:13:04 GMT -5 ttt said:

Sept 15, 2015 20:47:52 GMT -5 lilles said:

There are also a small number of Puerto Ricans who renounce their American citizens for political reasons. They are Puerto Rican citizens and have Puerto Rican passports.

What? I've never heard of this. This isn't an official thing, is it? 

books.google.com/books?id=zVgMCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA62&lpg=PA62&dq=union+nacional+pro+patria&source=bl&ots=4x37m5m1Xd&sig=mNyXaSxQmKBSa6K7tKq3GLlcHk8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBAQ6AEwAmoVChMI3YP-hcz7xwIViGs-Ch1KAAH4#v=onepage&q=union%20nacional%20pro%20patria&f=false

See page 62.

The passports are issued by the Unión Nacional Pro Patria.

While the "Fufiporte" or Taíno passport is not supposed to be officially recognized some people claimed to have traveled internationally with it.

Almost all the articles I can find are in Spanish but I'll keep searching for some in English.