Contact: Maridith Geuder
In the 1970s, about 5 percent of the U.S. population consisted of immigrants. By the 1990 census, that number had increased to 8 percent.
Because relatively little detailed information was available on the patterns through which they became United States citizens, a Mississippi State University sociologist decided in 1998 to launch an in-depth analysis. Karen Woodrow-Lafield's three-year research project used data collected by the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service.
In addition to INS support, Woodrow-Lafield concluded this first-of-a-kind immigration-to-naturalization data archive with a $440,000 National Institutes of Health research grant.
In undertaking the daunting challenge, she was assisted by Xiaohe Xu, also an MSU sociologist, and sociology graduate students Thomas Kersen and Bunnak Poch. To protect confidentiality, their work at Mississippi State took place in a secure data laboratory at the university's Social Science Research Center.
Woodrow-Lafield said that under the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, long-term undocumented residents received amnesty that would allow them to seek legal status as citizens. Many observers at the time expected the number seeking naturalization, especially Mexicans, to soar dramatically, she added.
In fact, the number of applications rose for many reasons, including INS's Green Card Replacement and Citizenship USA programs already under way, Woodrow-Lafield said.
While some receiving amnesty did naturalize, only about 19 percent had elected to do so by 1999.
Mexico provides the highest number of immigrants to the U.S. and, since 1995, is the leading country of origin for immigrants naturalizing each year, according to INS data. Over time, however, the percentage of Mexican immigrants seeking naturalization has been low when compared to other countries of origin.
"Mexican immigrants with work visas and their spouses are likely to naturalize more quickly than others, but these numbers are relatively small," Woodrow-Lafield said.
She also noted that:
--Immigrants from Asian countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines and China, make up the highest percentages naturalizing after 10 years or more.
--While six states receive most of the immigrants coming to the U.S. each year, immigrant communities can be found in all 50 states.
--Although the waiting period before most may apply to naturalize is five years, immigrants make the decision at a variety of times after they relocate.
"Many decide to seek naturalization within five to eight years of arriving in this country, while many others do so much later," she explained. "We were surprised to learn that immigrants make that decision at many times, even after extended residence."
Woodrow-Lafield said the resulting analyses should give successive researchers a better understanding of the amount of time immigrants reside in the country before becoming citizens. Also now available will be information on the relative effects of a variety of demographic factors, including class of admission, for immigrants from several origin countries.
Woodrow-Lafield said she plans to continue research in this subject area. Initially, she will extend the analyses to more origin countries.
"This archive establishes what we believe to be an important foundation for interpreting the significance of naturalization in America at the end of the 20th century," she said.