Study finds education gap for illegal Mexican migrants' children
They finished two fewer years of school than peers with legal immigrant parents. The research on Los Angeles area residents shows the need to help such families become legal, the report's authors say.
 Students in hallway at Belmont High School, which has a large number of illegal immigrant students. (Vince Compagnone / Los Angeles Times / September 16, 1994) |
The majority of children of illegal immigrants from Mexico in the Southland fail to graduate from high school, completing an average of two fewer years of schooling than their peers with legal immigrant parents, a new study has found.
The study by UC Irvine professor Frank Bean and three other researchers documented the persistent educational disadvantages for such children — who number 3.8 million, with about 80% born in the United States.
The study's authors said their findings highlighted the need to help such families gain legal status and a more secure future, arguing that deporting all of them was unrealistic.
"By not providing pathways to legalization, the United States not only risks creating an underclass, but also fails to develop
The study by UC Irvine professor Frank Bean and three other researchers documented the persistent educational disadvantages for such children — who number 3.8 million, with about 80% born in the United States.
The study's authors said their findings highlighted the need to help such families gain legal status and a more secure future, arguing that deporting all of them was unrealistic.
"By not providing pathways to legalization, the United States not only risks creating an underclass, but also fails to develop
