Eastern Shore Meeting of the Task Force to Study Driver Licensing

Documentation Agenda

June 28, 2004

Welcome—Delegate D. Page ElmoreWords from the Task Force Chairman

—Geoffrey S. TobiasBienvenidos Overview—Amy K.

LiebmanEastern Shore Needs Assessment—

Tim DunnInvited Testimony

Changing Face of Delmarva

Tim Dunn, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Sociology

Amy K. Liebman, MPABEACON ConsultantSalisbury University

June 28, 2004

Hispanic Population Growth on 8 Eastern Shore Counties 1990-

2000Wicomico Talbot Caroline Queen

Anne’sDor-chester

Worcester Som-erset

Kent 8 County Total

1990 610 167 231 189 177 275 229 476 2354

2000 1842 615 789 444 385 596 334 549 5554

Growth 202% 268% 242% 135% 118% 117% 46% 15% 136%

Source: US Census 1990, 2000

Hispanic Immigrants on Delmarva

1990 2000 Growth

Wicomico County 610 1842 202%

Sussex County 1,476 6,915 369%

Accomack County 452 2,062 356%

BIENVENIDOS A DELMARVA

Network of over 70 service providing organizations on the Delmarva Peninsula preparing to meet the needs of our immigrant communities

Housed at BEACON of Salisbury University—http://beacon.salisbury.edu/

ActivitiesMeet Monthly to

oExchange InformationoDiscuss Problems and NeedsoWork on Solutions

Raise AwarenessConduct OutreachConduct ResearchFacilitate Training

oCultural Competency

Needs AssessmentAssessed the needs and service

gaps among Hispanic immigrants on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to to improve the provision of services to this population and to reduce barriers to these services

Funded by Eastern Shore Regional Library

Conducted by BEACON, Salisbury University and Horizon Marketing

Methodology Survey (Ethno)—185 Participants,

snowball/network referral sample

o Wicomico, Somerset, Caroline, Worcester 11 Focus Groups

o 8 with immigrants (50 participants)Wicomico County (2)SomersetKent/Queen Anne’s CountyCarolineTalbotWorcesterDorchester

o 3 with service providers (40 participants) 275 participants total

Country of Origin

75 %

19%6%

0

10

20

30

4050

60

70

80

Mexico Guatemala Other LatinAmerica

New Geography of Mexican Migration Starting in 1990’s

New Receiving Communities

Time on Delmarva27%

12%

19%

16%

9%

5%

12%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Median = 2 years

Age

Very Young Median Age = 29 Years Old

2%

56%

32%

10%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

15-17 18-30 31-40 41-54

Gender and Marital Status

66.5% Male -- 33.5% Female

41% Single39% Married20% Living TogetherLess than 1% Divorced

7.9%

16.3%

34.3%

24.7%

14.6%

2.2%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Years of Education

Median = 6 years

Mexicans (median 6 years) slightly more education the Guatemalans (median 4 years)

Occupation in Sending Country

Agriculture—Peasants, Farmworkers

Services—Domestic, Restaurant, Hotel, Retail Sales

36%

26%

10% 10%

6%4%

16%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Occupation in US27%

18% 18%

9%

15% 14%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

•80% of unemployed are female, nearly all taking care of children

•Services = Restaurant, Hotel, Domestic, Maintenance

Labor Force Participation

US Eastern Shore Hispanic Immigrants

Male 71% 95%

Female 58% 65%

Total 64% 85%

Labor DemandUS—Immigrants accounted for

ALL workforce growth under 35 years of age.

US—1/3 of unskilled workforce are immigrants.

Maryland—New immigrants accounted for 76% of labor force growth from 1990-2000, o Vs. 50% nationally

EarningsAverage wage is

$7.25-$7.75/hour Average work week is 40 hoursMedian amount of $ sent home =

$300-$349 (1/3 send +$500) Maryland’s Latino immigrants have highest level of remittances of any state in the US

Median Savings/Month = $175-$199

Come to the US for Economic Reasons

To have work—40%

For a better life—34%

To save money—17%

Family here – 6%

Other—3%

Migration Experience

58%--Delmarva First Migration Experience

77%--First trip taken to the US

NEW IMMIGRANTSSocial networks new

GROWTH & Self perpetuating migration

Documentation84% Unauthorized Immigrants

o 2/3 have taxes withheld from payo Nationally from 1990-1998, unauthorized immigrants

paid $20 billion in social security taxes alone

o Very limited access to legal entry

o Strong labor demand

27% have Consulate Issued ID Cards (Matricula Consular)

o Most lack information or opportunity to get card

US Citizen Children

Mixed Status Households9-11 million undocumented residents

3 million US citizen children

Future Plans

Plan to be in same town/city in 3 yearso 57% plan to remaino Unusually high

Return to country of origin in 3 yearso 42% plan to move back

Plan to Stay

Most Difficult Things about Life in US

36%

19%

11% 10%8%

5%3%

8%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Desired Services for Better Life

English Classes 20%Transportation Services 19%

Immigration Papers/Documents 16%

Better Jobs 13%

Health Services 13%

Better/Spanish Speaking Police 6%

Information provided in Spanish 5%

Other 8%

Desired Library ServicesEnglish Classes 29%Legal/Immigration Information 18%

Health Info 13%

Small Business Start-up Info 7%

US Culture & Key Organization Info

6%

Homework Help for Children After School

6%

Labor Rights Information 6%

Drug and Alcohol Programs Info 5%

Work Opportunities Info 4%

Family Relations Info 4%

Housing Info 2%

Language Over 90% do not understand English or have only limited understanding

Neither speaks nor understands English

44%

Doesn’t speak English, but has a very limited understanding of English

28%

Speaks and understands some English

20%

Doesn’t speak but understands English well

3%

Speaks and understands English well

5%

Desire to Learn English

“If it were possible to gain a command of the English language to understand legal immigration issues, and be in good health—that would be great.”

“To get better jobs you always need the language [English].”

Noted language as barrier to accessing health services.

LanguageTypical learning cycle for non-

English speaking immigrants in the US is 3 generationso1st generation learns enough to

get byo2nd generation is bilingualo3rd generation monolingual

English

TransportationFocus group participants noted:

lack of transportation as barrier to accessing services.

risks of driving a car. Drive only when it is essential—work, food. Can’t legally obtain a driver’s license if undocumented.

public transportation limited.poor treatment by bus drivers.racial tension between riders and

drivers.

Transportation38%

36%

13%6%

3% 3%

05

10152025303540

Police Service Attitudes 31% do not trust the police enough to report a crime or seek

their help. Reasons for lack of trust:

45% 46%

9%0

10

20

30

40

50

Scared /fear

Languagebarrier

Unsure ofhow helpfulpolice can

be

Victims of CrimeEvery focus group mentioned tensions

between African-Americans and immigrants

Immigrants are easy targetso Languageo A lot of CASH o Can’t open bank accounts b/c of lack of

documentation (banks now accepting matricula consular identification cards)

Victims of Crime21% of survey respondents victims of crimeNational rate is less than 10%

55%

33 %

9%

3%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Robbery Assault DomesticViolence

Kidnapping

Employment HardshipBecause they are undocumented,

feel vulnerable at work:o“If you’re illegal, you can’t do

anything; otherwise they’ll call the ‘migra.’”

Risk of deportation too great to seek redress:o“One comes to this country to work,

not to look for problems.”

Housing Median Number of People per

Household = 6o 15% live in households with 10-16

peopleAverage Number of People per

Household in Maryland 2.6Median Number of People per

Bedroom = 2.6

Number of Children in Household

Median = 1 Child

48%

14%20%

10% 9%

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 1 2 3 4 or more

Location of Children

44%

34%

9% 10%4%

05

1015

202530

3540

45

High Levels of Social Isolation

13% belong to sports/recreational group and 2% belong to social group

54% said they do not have relations with other racial or ethnic group

Of the 46% who do have relations with other groups, 61% said they are work-related only

75% have family/friends in area In-group relations strong(er), out-group

relations weak

In the last 12 months sources of information

used:Television—84%Friends—72%Family—52 %Libraries—8%

Word of Mouth Key--Trust

Who Helped Resolve Problems Here?

Friends/Boyfriend/Girlfriend 26%

Church/Religious Organizations

26%

Family 25%

No one 18%

Other 5%

Sources of Support/Services56% belong to a religious institution here,

44% do not. Main point of contact for immigrants in receiving communities—apart from work.

Religious Affiliation:Catholic 57%

Pentecostal 32%

Adventist 9%

Baptist 2%

Contact with Local Educational Institutions

16% have attended school here27% have taken a class of some

typeo English—86% (church, library)

27% said children in their household attend public schoolso Of those, 12% problems registering

SummaryNew, inexperienced immigrantsIsolated from receiving communityWant to Learn EnglishTransportation is a major problemHere to stay in this regionGrowing, growing, growing populationHardworking, industrious