From: achin@math.tamu.edu (Andrew Chin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american
Subject: Immigrants vs. AAs: a limited pie?
Date: 1 Jan 1993 06:21:58 GMT
Organization: Dept of Mathematics, Texas A&M University
Distribution: world
Reply-To: achin@math.tamu.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: math.tamu.edu

An interesting excerpt from a report by the Urban Institute was posted
by Dwight Walsh <WALSHD@uservx.plk.af.mil>
in the Young Scientists' Network <ysn-adm@zoyd.ee.washington.edu>
digest on 12/29/92:

"Immigrant Categories and the US Job Market:
Do They Make a Difference?"  Elaine Sorensen, Frank Bean, Leighton
Ku and Wendy Zimmerman.  Urban Institute Report 91-1. The Urban Institute
Press. Copyright 1992.  Urban Institute Press, 2100 M. Street NW,
Washington, D.C.  20037.  Distributed by University Press of America.
4720 Boston Way, Lanham, Maryland  20706.

 "Worker-preference immigrants have a significantly negative
effect on the earnings of white natives, but an insignificantly positive
effect on the earnings of black and Hispanic natives.  White native earnings
fall by 1 percent for each 10 percent increase in the number of worker-
preference immigrants in their SMSA relative to their own population." (page
93).
 
        "These results suggest that the overall effects of immigrants on
native earnings and employment are very small.  But once the immigrant
population is divided by admission and immigration status, we find that
foreign-born naturalized citizens exert a significantly negative effect
on the earnings and employment opportunities of native males.  In addition,
employment-related immigrants significantly reduce the employment 
opportunities of white native males." (page 101)

---
My comments:

1. Leighton Ku might be an AA.  I'd like to find out from him whether AAs were
considered in the study.  Any keen researchers out there?  Arthur Hu might
like to get his hands on these stats.

2. In any case, I bet AA earnings and employment opportunities are hurt even
more than whites as a result of Asian immigration, since many non-AA employers
are likely to share the general population's confusion between AAs and
Asian nationals.  Any findings which substantiated this hunch would defend
AAs against being blamed for the plight of "white native males."

3. Since the report's findings are good fodder for xenophobes and Asian-bashers,
it would also be instructive to examine the Urban League's larger agenda, and
to trace the report's policy impacts.

4. To what extent is the effect of new Asian immigration on AA employment
opportunity a source of intergenerational conflict?  In my budding academic
career, I already worry that I will hit a glass ceiling that has been set
up for new immigrants (e.g. under the assumption of language and cultural
difficulties).  It's very discouraging, and I find it has affected my
relationships with other AAs I have met in the math/CS community, since more
than 95% have not been American-born.  I know my anger should be directed
against the system, but I can't help feeling swamped.
---
Andrew Chin    Dept. of Math.    Texas A&M U.    College Station, TX 77843
achin@math.tamu.edu   Probably not TAMU's exact opinions.   (409) 845-0261
                * Fighting racism is not a special interest *