Study: Most Immigrants See Future in US

A recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center: http://www.pewhispanic.org


Most Hispanic immigrants believe their future is in the United States, despite maintaining ties to their native countries, according to a new study by the Pew Hispanic Center.

The nationwide survey of Latinos found that a majority took part in one or two "transitional activities" — sending money, calling or traveling to their homelands. But only 9 percent do all three, which researchers say indicates being "highly attached" to their birth countries.

The report, released Thursday, shows that the lives of Latinos in the United States straddle two countries, a phenomenon known as transnationalism, said its author, UCLA sociology professor Roger Waldinger.

"What's striking is that although the long-term trend is toward disengagement ... most immigrants are involved in some form of contact with the place which they're from," Waldinger said. "What we have is a population that, as we tried to describe, is between here and there."

Researchers disagree on whether transnationalism is a new trend. Some say recent Latino immigrants are the first to establish such dual connections by using modern communications and transportation.

However, Waldinger and others say today's immigrants behave much like their predecessors from Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. They often sent letters and money home and later returned to live in their homelands. But Waldinger said direct comparisons are impossible because no data was collected then.

The study also found that transnational activities do not hinder Latino immigrants' bonds to the United States. More than 60 percent plan to stay and are more concerned about politics and government in the U.S. than in their native countries.

The report found that recent arrivals are more likely to send money home, but less likely to travel home than established Hispanic immigrants.

The survey was conducted by telephone among a random sample of 2,000 Hispanic adults from June 5 to July 3, 2006. Respondents include 1,429 foreign-born Latinos. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points for the full sample and plus or minus 4.4 percentage points for the foreign-born sample.