This digest reviews reports about the educational experience and expectations of recent immigrants to the United States to dispel some myths about the impact of immigrants on American society and to provide information to consider in attempts to increase the educational attainment of immigrants. In general, immigrant youth and parents have higher educational aspirations than do natives of the same racial or ethnic groups. About 5% of all students in 1990 were immigrants, and they were enrolled in school at about the same rates as the native born population. Immigrant youths are more likely to live in low-income homes and have parents with lower education, but they are as likely as natives to graduate from high school within 4 years of their sophomore year. Immigrant youths are more likely to plan to go to college, follow an academic track, and are more likely to enroll in postsecondary education. Adult immigrants are most likely to come to urban areas, and they earn about 8% of the nation’s total income, an amount that equals the immigrant share of the total population. Annually, immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits such as education and public assistance. Immigrants cannot enter the United States legally without proving that they are self-sufficient and unlikely to need public assistance. (SLD)
