Citizenship Status, Poverty, and Government Transfers for Families With Children

Using annual American Community Survey data for Nevada from 2000 to 2003, this study examines the role that citizenship status plays in shaping immigrant families' chances of living in poverty as well as their chances of receiving selected social benefits. Key findings suggest that citizen children with noncitizen caretakers are more likely to experience poverty as well as to receive lunch subsidies and less likely to receive cash assistance than citizen children with naturalized caretakers. Noncitizen children with noncitizen caretakers have a greater chance of living in poverty and are less likely to receive cash assistance than citizen children are.