The “Immigrant Advantage” in life expectancy, health, and economic success by Vicky Yau
A phenomenon among the U.S. immigrant population has give rise to the term, the “Immigrant Advantage”. Sociologists coined this term after noticing that immigrants tend to have higher life expectancies, are often associated with better health, and generally pass more markers of “success,” as compared to native-born Americans.
On the life expectancy and health front, researchers in a study on the Hispanic immigrant population do caution that the numbers may contain biases. These biases result from the relative youth of the Latino immigrant community compared to the native-born population. Moreover, studies do not adjust for immigrants who return home for health or other reasons. A BBC News article notes other influential factors, include the lower smoking rate, better diet, better physical heath due to their more physically demanding jobs, and better emotional health due to a more tight-knit family and community.
The positive effects of the tighter community spill over to promoting greater ambition amongst immigrants. A New York Times article profiling a Muslim immigrant demonstrates this aspect of the phenomenon. In 2011, Mr. Raisuddin Bhuiyan was working at a Dallas minimart when he was shot and severely wounded in a post-9/11 revenge attack. In Mr. Bhuiyan’s words, the native-born, (presumably white) working class background of his attacker prevented him from the “same shot at the American dream” as his own background from “a loving and sober family, pressure to strive and virtuous habits.” Mr. Bhuiyan’s familial background implanted in him the ambition to achieve his greatest potential. Although so far from his native home and family, the immigrant community in the U.S. cared for Mr. Bhuiyan during his recovery from the attack. From family and community support, Mr. Bhuiyan rose from a minimart worker and severely wounded victim of a hate crime, to earning a six-figure salary in the I.T. industry. His attacker, on the other hand, may have been reared in the U.S., but lacking Mr. Bhuiyan’s support system, found himself facing severe charges for his actions.
Among other advantages, the author of the NY Times article, citing a Census Bureau study, finds that naturalized U.S. citizens generally earn higher educational degrees, have higher marriage rates, lower divorce rates, and more likely to rise out of poverty.
Vicky Yau will soon begin her second year of law school at UC Davis School of Law.
KJ