Ulmer, Tiffany M.

Marcelli, Enrico
Ojeda, Norma
Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina

2013-12-05

Thesis

x, 50 pages : illustrations

I hypothesize that first, unauthorized migrant women are more likely to have U.S.- born children and second, women who have U.S.-born children are more likely to settle permanently in the United States. I analyze the 2007 Boston Metropolitan Immigrant Health and Legal Status survey and the 2011 Los Angeles County Mexican Immigrant Health and Legal Status survey (n=488 observations) to test this. I employ multivariate logistic regression to test whether having a U.S.-born child is positively associated with reporting intentions to settle permanently, controlling for individual characteristics, home, neighborhood and social capital, and work-related factors. The results indicate a disconfirmation the "anchor baby" hypothesis. Legal permanent resident migrant women are more likely to have U.S.-born children and having a U.S.-born child has little to no effect on intending to settle permanently in the United States. These findings confirm there is no evidence of an "anchor baby" hypothesis.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 47-50).

English

Sociology

Sociology

Arts and Letters

Master of Arts (M.A.) San Diego State University, 2014

HM422.2

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11929/sdsu:2752