The Prevalence of Mixed Citizenship Status Households among Older Mexican Americans

Jeffrey A. Burr, University of Massachusetts at Boston
Jan Mutchler, University of Massachusetts at Boston
Kerstin Gerst, University of Massachusetts at Boston

We describe the household composition of older Mexican Americans, focusing on whether they live in households composed of a mix of US citizens and non-citizens or whether they live either exclusively with citizens or with non-citizens. We argue the citizenship status of household members impacts the well-being older Mexican Americans. Data from the 2000 US Census of Population (5% PUMS) are examined using random intercepts binomial logistic regression modeling techniques. We find that non-citizen older Mexican Americans are five times more likely than their citizen counterparts to live in a mixed status household. After controlling for selected individual characteristics, we find that compared to those living in households structured around the nuclear family unit, those living in intergenerational households and those living with other relatives and/or non-relatives are more likely to live in a mixed status household. Our results are discussed in terms of their policy implications.