Interstate Migration and the Transition to Citizen

Karen A. Woodrow-Lafield

For adult immigrants of 1978-1991 who became U.S. citizens, the majority was living in the states of initial residence, but about one-fifth had moved to another state. From logistic regression analyses, the likelihood of making interstate migration varies by visa class of admission, manner of entry, initial residence, and place of origin. Men with employment-sponsored visas experienced more interstate migration, and this may result from greater human capital allowing choice in economic opportunities and amenities, including availability of ethnics as peers. Further investigation is needed to explore the feasibility of this approach for supplementing existing sources on internal migration.