Illegitimate Births Among Immigrants

President Bush and others argue that one of the benefits of immigration is that immigrants have a stronger commitment to traditional family values than native-born Americans. However, a new analysis of birth records by the Center for Immigration Studies shows that out of wedlock births have grown dramatically for both groups, and rates are now about the same for immigrant and native mothers. The report provides information for states, metro areas, and counties. Children born to unmarried parents are at higher risk for a host of social problems. This may be especially true for the children of immigrants, because they need strong families to adjust to life in America.

The report, entitled, “Illegitimate Nation: An Examination of Out of Wedlock Births Among Immigrants and Natives,” is embargoed until Tuesday April 24th at 9:30 a.m. Advance copies are available to the media. The study will be available online at www.cis.org

CIS will formally release the report at a panel discussion on Tuesday, April 24th at 9:30 a.m. in the West Room of the National Press Club. The report’s author, Dr. Steven Camarota, the Center’s Director of Research, will be joined by Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation and Nicholas N. Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute. The briefing is free and open to the public.

[Editor’s Note: “Illegitimate Nation: An Examination of Out-of-Wedlock Births Among Immigrants and Natives” can be read here.]