Children's Living Arrangements Associated with Mexico-U.S. Migration

Berna M. Torr, RAND
Michael Rendall, RAND

We examine the influence of own and parents’ migration on the living arrangements of first- and second-generation immigrant Mexican-American children, considering coresidence with parents, extended family members, and nonrelatives. We extend our analysis to both sides of the border, using census microdata in Mexico and census and large-scale survey data in the United States. We find that, while living apart from both parents is rare, living additionally with extended family members is common, especially among Mexican-resident children. Mexican-American children in the United States are also more likely than non-Mexican children to live in extended families, and households with recent immigrants are more likely to be extended. We relate these findings to theories of parent preferences for extended family living and theories of the constraints and networks associated with migration.