the new metropolitan geography of u.s. immigration · 2006. 2. 21. · brookings institution...

BROOKINGS INSTITUTIONMETROPOLITAN POLICY PROGRAM

Audrey Singer, Immigration Fellow

The Brookings Institution

Mayors’ Institute on City DesignRethinking Neighborhoods for ImmigrantsFebruary 21-23, 2006

The New Metropolitan Geography of U.S. Immigration

Metropolitan Policy Program


More than 1/3 of U.S. population growth was driven by Immigration in the 1990s

Net Immigration,

34.7%

Natural Increase,

65.3%

Components of population change, 1990-2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau


Current Immigration Trends Top 10 Countries of Birth

Mexico 115,864

India 50,342

Philippines 45,397

China 40,659

El Salvador 28,296

Dominican Republic 26,205

Vietnam 22,133

Colombia 14,777

Guatemala 14,415

Russia 13.951


Foreign Born Legal Status Estimates

Source: Passel 2005


Immigration Trends from Census 2000

More immigrants entered the United States in the 1990s than in any previous decade

Immigrants are settling in many new places with little history of immigration

The challenges of incorporating immigrants is a growing issue in many places in the United States


The share of the U.S. population that is foreign-born is lower at the end of the 20th century than at the start

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 20000%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%Population Percentage of Population

Number of foreign-born and share of population, United States,1900-2000

Source: Lindsay and Singer, “Changing Faces: Immigrants and Diversity in the Twenty-First Century,” June 2003


Foreign Born

Population

Share Foreign

Born1 New York 2,871,032 35.9 2 Los Angeles 1,512,720 40.9 3 Chicago 628,903 21.7 4 Houston 516,105 26.4 5 San Jose 329,757 36.8 6 San Diego 314,227 25.7 7 Dallas 290,436 24.4 8 San Francisco 285,541 36.8 9 Phoenix 257,325 19.5

10 Miami 215,739 59.5

1900 2000

Few cities maintained their status as gateways throughout the 20th century

Foreign Born Population

Share Foreign

Born1 New York 1,270,080 37.0 2 Chicago 587,112 34.6 3 Philadelphia 295,340 22.8 4 Boston 197,129 35.1 5 Cleveland 124,631 32.6 6 San Francisco 116,885 34.1 7 St. Louis 111,356 19.4 8 Buffalo 104,252 29.6 9 Detroit 96,503 33.8

10 Milwaukee 88,991 31.2


13%

34%

3%50%

EuropeAsiaLatin AmericaAfrica

1900-1920 1980-2000

86%4%

10%

Source countries have shifted—from primarily European to primarily non-European


Many states are being transformed by immigration

From Northeastand Southwest

To Southeastand Mountain West


1 Los Angeles 3,449,444 36.22 New York 3,139,647 33.73 Chicago 1,425,978 17.24 Miami 1,147,765 50.95 Houston 854,669 20.56 Orange County 849,899 29.97 Washington DC 832,016 16.98 Riverside-San Bernardino 612,359 18.89 San Diego 606,254 21.510 Dallas 591,169 16.8

PERCENTNUMBER

Metropolitan Washington now ranks 7th in number of foreign-born residents

Source: US Census Bureau

Top Ten Immigrant Populations by Metropolitan Area, 2000


0

5

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15

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35

1900

1910

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1930

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1970

1980

1990

2000

Year

Perc

ent f

orei

gn b

orn

Former

Percent of Foreign Born in Cities by Gateway Types, 1900-2000

Former gateways are no longer major destinations

FormerBaltimoreBuffaloClevelandDetroitMilwaukeePhiladelphiaPittsburghSt. Louis


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

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1970

1980

1990

2000

Year

Perc

ent f

orei

gn b

orn

Continuous


Continuous gateways have always attracted more than their fair share of immigrants

ContinuousBostonChicagoJersey CityNewarkNew York

Bergen Passaic NJMiddlesex-Somerset NJNassau-Suffolk, NY

San Francisco


0

5

10

15

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25

30

35

40

1900

1910

1920

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2000

Year

Perc

ent f

orei

gn b

orn

Post-WWII


Post-WWII gateways became destinations during the past 50 years

Post-WWIIFort Lauderdale HoustonLos Angeles

Orange CountyRiverside-San Bernardino

San DiegoMiami


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

Year

Perc

ent f

orei

gn b

orn

Emerging


Emerging gateways experienced very recent and rapid growth in their foreign-born population

EmergingAtlanta DallasFort WorthLas VegasOrlandoWashington, DCWest Palm Beach


0

5

10

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40

1900

1910

1920

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Perc

ent f

orei

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orn

Re-Emerging


Re-Emerging gateways are once again major destinations for immigrants

Re-EmergingDenverMinneapolis-St. PaulOaklandPhoenixPortlandSacramentoSan JoseSeattleTampa


0

5

10

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25

30

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40

1900

1910

1920

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Year

Perc

ent f

orei

gn b

orn

Re-Emerging

Former

Continuous

Post-WWII

Emerging


Emerging gateways represent a new context for immigrant integration


FormerBaltimoreBuffaloClevelandDetroitMilwaukeePhiladelphiaPittsburghSt. Louis

ContinuousBostonChicagoJersey CityNewarkNew York

Bergen Passaic NJMiddlesex-Somerset NJNassau-Suffolk, NY

San Francisco

Post-WWIIFort Lauderdale HoustonLos Angeles

Orange CountyRiverside-San Bernardino

San DiegoMiami

Re-EmergingDenverMinneapolis-St. PaulOaklandPhoenixPortlandSacramentoSan JoseSeattleTampa

Pre-EmergingAustinCharlotteGreensboro-Winston SalemRaleigh-DurhamSalt Lake City

Six types of metropolitan immigrant gateways in 2000

EmergingAtlanta DallasFort WorthLas VegasOrlandoWashington, DCWest Palm Beach


-

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

Former Continuous Post WWII Emerging Re-emerging

1970

1980

1990

2000

Continuous and Post-WWII Gateways still dominate, but Emerging and Re-Emerging are growing faster


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Former Continuous Post WWII Emerging Re-Emerging Pre-Emerging

Per

cent

% Change in Total Population % Change in Population without Foreign-Born

Population growth in Continuous and Post-WWII Gateways depends more on immigration than in Emerging Gateways



-20.0

-10.0

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

Miami St. Petersburg Chicago Baltimore Boston Dearborn Charlotte

Percent Change in Total Population, 1990-2000 Percent Change without the Foreign born, 1990-2000

Population Change in Selected Cities with and without the foreign-born, 1990-2000Most of the cities would not have gained population in the 1990s without immigrants


Immigrant characteristics vary by gateway type…

Suburban settlement patterns

National origins

English language proficiency


The share of overall population that is foreign-born tends to be higher in central cities than in suburbs…

17%17%13%Washington15%13%22%Boston51%41%60%Miami

17%15%22%Chicago

METROSUBURBSCITY

Percent Foreign Born in Cities and Suburbs, 2000


9.8

6.9

4.9

12.9

7.7

5.0

2000

1990

1980Suburbs

Cities

…but growth during the 1980s and 1990s was greater in suburban areas, yielding more immigrant residents in absolute terms

Foreign Born in Cities and Suburbs, 45 metro areas (in millions)


Share of Foreign-Born Population That Live in the Suburbs by Gateway Type, 1970-2000

30

50

70

1970 1980 1990 2000

Perc

ent

Emerging

Former

Post-WWII

Re-emerging

Pre-emerging

Continuous

Immigrants in Emerging Gateways are more likely to live in the suburbs


UNITED STATESTotal Foreign Born = 31,107,889

Mexico30%

Remaining Foreign Born

57%

India3%

China3%Vietnam

3%

Philippines4%

The five largest country of origin groups in the U.S. include Mexico and four Asian countries


BostonBaltimore Charlotte

But cities have distinct national origin compositions

Chicago Dearborn Miami St. Petersburg

Trinidad and Tobago 8% Haiti 10% Mexico 28%

Mexico 47% Lebanon 41% Cuba 57% Canada 8%, Vietnam 6%


All gateway types doubled the number of refugees resettled in the 1990s, except for Post-World War II gateways

Refugees Resettled in Metropolitan Areas by Gateway Type, 1980s and 1990s

Post-WWII, 112,128 Post-WWII, 138,831

Continuous, 92,814

Continuous, 225,680Re-emerging, 72,647

Re-emerging, 157,376

Emerging, 35,550

Emerging, 76,168

Former, 28,079

Former, 74,471

Pre-emerging, 16,391

Pre-emerging, 8,088

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

1983-1989 1990-1999


82.6

73.6

65.3

70.7

72.5

65.8

34.2

27.5

29.3

34.7

26.4

17.4

0 25 50 75 100

Former

Continuous

Post W.W.II

Emerging

Re-Emerging

Pre-Emerging

Does not speak Englishwell

Speaks English "well"

English language skills are most limited in Post-WWII and Pre-Emerging Gateways


Six Implications for Local Leaders

Understand local immigration dynamics

Bring cultural and language sensitivity to service delivery

Build English language capacity

Provide workforce support

Create linkages to mainstream institutions

Encourage civic engagement


www.brookings.edu/metro

Library, Montgomery County, MD

the new metropolitan geography of u.s. immigration · 2006. 2. 21. · brookings institution...

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