UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANTS: LENGTH OF RESIDENCY,

PATTERNS OF PARENTHOODBY PAUL TAYLOR, MARK HUGO LOPEZ, JEFFREY

PASSEL, AND SETH MOTELHTTP://WWW.PEWHISPANIC.ORG/2011/12/01/UNAUTHORIZED-

IMMIGRANTS-LENGTH-OF-RESIDENCY-PATTERNS-OF-PARENTHOOD/

Emily Ortega

Assignment 8

Research Article 2

Popular Opinions on Legal Status Newt Gingrich proposed a possible path to legal status for

illegal immigrants if he were to be nominated president in the 2012 election. The criteria for citizenship is if they have lived in the States for a long time, they have children in the U.S., they pay taxes, and they belong to a church.

A recent NSL survey showed that 91% of Hispanic, undocumented workers, 86% of all Hispanics, and 72% of all U.S. residents are in favor of a path to citizenship.

Who Would Qualify? Time Lived in the States, Family Status, and

Religious Attendance For unauthorized adult immigrants 35% have lived in the United

states for 15 years or longer. 28% for 10-14 years, 22% for 5 to 9 years, and 15% for less than 5 years.

46% of unauthorized adult immigrants are parents of minor children. At least 9 million people are in “mixed-status” families. (At least one

unauthorized adult and at least one U.S.-born child) There are at least 400,000 unauthorized immigrant children with a

U.S.-born sibling. The statistics for Hispanics who are not citizens or legal permanent

residents show that approximately 39% say they go to church weekly, 23% say they go once or twice a month, 19% say they seldom or never go, and 15% say they go a few times a year.