Dominican Immigrants in the U.S.: Poverty, Education and Welfare

minerva_feliz

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I came across this report a while back, and decided it might be good to share:

Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A profile of America's Foreign-Born Population | Center for Immigration Studies

It's from the Center for Immigration Studies, and is called: Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A profile of America's Foreign-Born Population

It offers an objective, statistical and methodologically sound insight into legal and illegal foreign-born people in the U.S., and specifically there are some very interesting findings about Dominican immigrants.

Here are some of the Dominican-related highlights that I have pulled from it:
-The DR as a country ranks 10th in the quantity (not percentage of population) of immigrants living in the U.S.

-Of the "top 25" countries that are covered in the report, the DR ranks last for the percent of immigrants that are "self-employed" (5.1%)

-The Dominican immigrants are the group that is most likely to live in poverty (27.9%), and when considering Dominican immigrants with children it's even higher (31.2%)

-27.9% of Dominican immigrants live in poverty vs 17.8% for Haitian

-Dominican immigrants are more likely to have their own health insurance coverage than other Hispanic immigrants and all immigrants in general

-Dominican immigrants have the highest usage of any group in the "top 25" of usage of "means-tested programs" (aka welfare), with 63% getting some type of public assistance (38.8% of Haitians use it)

-38% of Dominican immigrants have below a high school education, while 10% have a college degree or higher (for Haitians it's 17.6% / 23.8%)

One of the conclusions from the report:
"The current immigration system allows most legal immigrants into the country through family re-unification channels primarily based on whether they have a relative here. This fact, coupled with widespread tolerance of illegal immigration, means the foreign-born population as a whole is much less educated than the native-born population. Given the nature of the modern American economy and the existence of a well-developed welfare state, it seems unavoidable that less-educated immigrants will tend to have lower incomes, make heavier use of means-tested programs, and be more likely to lack health insurance than natives."

So, perhaps common sense would say that lower education = more likely to be poor = more likely to use welfare.

But that's not true for the Dominicans. They don't fare the worst for education, and then they lead some of the countries whose immigrants are "less educated" than they are by some 20% in use of of public means-tested programs (welfare).

What do you think about the report? Can you get anything else out of it?

What cultural, social or policy-level factors, either in the DR or the US, could contribute to the Dominicans being the poorest and highest users of welfare?


Please support your posts with data from this report, other research, the census, etc. and NOT your own, a friend's or family member's personal experiences or observations. There are always exceptions, good and bad, but I am hoping for a more objective and evidence-based analysis of Dominican immigrants in the U.S.

P.S.-I mentioned some Haiti stats to show that the poorer the country the immigrant comes from does not mean the poorer the immigrant in the U.S. There must be some cultural, social or policy influences at work.
 

Golo100

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Jan 5, 2002
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Unless you live abroad I'm surprised you are surprised about these data. Most Haitians that immigrate have a higher education. The same is true about their migration to DR. If you watch what happens in our barrios, a huge number of apartments being rented to Haitians are high school and college students. Perhaps one of the reasons only 5.1% Dominicans are self employed is because is very hard to sell yanikekes and drive around in a clunker truck selling vegetables with a noisy loudspeaker. That's what is called "small businesses" in DR and the new PYMES. When Dominicans first arrived in New York in big droves in the 60's they noted inmediately how Puerto Ricans(Newyoricans) could support their families in PR and in the U.S. by just having children and applying to welfare. Not knowing the language and finding poor job opportunities they enlisted in the welfare programs and food stamps. Now the welfare program has become a double welfare, because it helps to fuel the Dominican welfare living style of thousand who live in DR waiting for their welfare piece of the pie from New York. That's why you see so many able bodied men playing dominoes everyday early in the morning.
 

Vacara

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May 5, 2009
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I came across this report a while back, and decided it might be good to share:

Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A profile of America's Foreign-Born Population | Center for Immigration Studies

It's from the Center for Immigration Studies, and is called: Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A profile of America's Foreign-Born Population

It offers an objective, statistical and methodologically sound insight into legal and illegal foreign-born people in the U.S., and specifically there are some very interesting findings about Dominican immigrants.

Here are some of the Dominican-related highlights that I have pulled from it:
-The DR as a country ranks 10th in the quantity (not percentage of population) of immigrants living in the U.S.

-Of the "top 25" countries that are covered in the report, the DR ranks last for the percent of immigrants that are "self-employed" (5.1%)

-The Dominican immigrants are the group that is most likely to live in poverty (27.9%), and when considering Dominican immigrants with children it's even higher (31.2%)

-27.9% of Dominican immigrants live in poverty vs 17.8% for Haitian

-Dominican immigrants are more likely to have their own health insurance coverage than other Hispanic immigrants and all immigrants in general

-Dominican immigrants have the highest usage of any group in the "top 25" of usage of "means-tested programs" (aka welfare), with 63% getting some type of public assistance (38.8% of Haitians use it)

-38% of Dominican immigrants have below a high school education, while 10% have a college degree or higher (for Haitians it's 17.6% / 23.8%)

One of the conclusions from the report:
"The current immigration system allows most legal immigrants into the country through family re-unification channels primarily based on whether they have a relative here. This fact, coupled with widespread tolerance of illegal immigration, means the foreign-born population as a whole is much less educated than the native-born population. Given the nature of the modern American economy and the existence of a well-developed welfare state, it seems unavoidable that less-educated immigrants will tend to have lower incomes, make heavier use of means-tested programs, and be more likely to lack health insurance than natives."

So, perhaps common sense would say that lower education = more likely to be poor = more likely to use welfare.

But that's not true for the Dominicans. They don't fare the worst for education, and then they lead some of the countries whose immigrants are "less educated" than they are by some 20% in use of of public means-tested programs (welfare).

What do you think about the report? Can you get anything else out of it?

What cultural, social or policy-level factors, either in the DR or the US, could contribute to the Dominicans being the poorest and highest users of welfare?


Please support your posts with data from this report, other research, the census, etc. and NOT your own, a friend's or family member's personal experiences or observations. There are always exceptions, good and bad, but I am hoping for a more objective and evidence-based analysis of Dominican immigrants in the U.S.

P.S.-I mentioned some Haiti stats to show that the poorer the country the immigrant comes from does not mean the poorer the immigrant in the U.S. There must be some cultural, social or policy influences at work.

For now all I can say is "embarrassing". Oh, and since I have my own business I wonder who are the other 4.1 guys.
 

Vacara

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May 5, 2009
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This cannot possibly go anywhere other than where SKING's recent thread went. Of course we will post our personal experiences.

Not necessarily, Minerva is not ranting or trying to offend anybody, she is just objectively posting a very interesting information, which by the way is going to help me settle some very old argument I have with friends here in the State. We Dominicans, for some unknown reason think too high of ourselves, the time could not be more right for a reality check.
 

SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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Thank you so much for the post. It is nice to see that what I have been seeing and feeling in my job and what I have been being told by Americans who live in the US full time, is not just a crock of crap in our heads.
SHALENA
 
?

? bient?t

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For now all I can say is "embarrassing". Oh, and since I have my own business I wonder who are the other 4.1 guys.

Most car accidents happen within 10 miles of your home. Are you moving?
 

pedrochemical

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Aug 22, 2008
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Not necessarily, Minerva is not ranting or trying to offend anybody, she is just objectively posting a very interesting information, which by the way is going to help me settle some very old argument I have with friends here in the State. We Dominicans, for some unknown reason think too high of ourselves, the time could not be more right for a reality check.


Vacara - what inspired you into becoming a thinker / reader / writer?
To take part in debates?

Could the same be done for all Dominicans?
 

POPNYChic

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Jul 27, 2009
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embarrassing but not surprising what with the culture of being "el mas vivo". in other words, if its there to be taken, ima take it. im gonna say its a part of our culture that needs some serious revamping. its doing us no good, as it also fuels the corruption that plagues us.
 

ExtremeR

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Mar 22, 2006
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A very important point for that same source Minerva:

Most immigrant households have at least one worker. We estimate that 82 percent of immigrant households have at least one worker compared to 73 percent of native households. But this in no way means they will not use the welfare system because that system is increasingly designed to provide assistance to low-income workers with children, a description of immigrant families given their education levels and relatively high fertility. In fact, a worker is present in 78 percent of immigrant households using at least one welfare program. For native households it’s 62 percent. Most immigrants work, but this does not make them self-sufficient.

I believe the lack of education or knowledge of the English language, force them to get low skilled low payed jobs, of which they can't make end meets and have to apply for welfare. There is also the lack of compatibility and recognition of DR universities in the USA, as there a LOT of DR lawyers driving black taxis in NY, or doing some other low skill type of job. The same happens if you are a doctor (now they are starting to recognize the UASD and UNIBE titles in the states), or an accountant.
 

Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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I have always been somewhat suspect of these official statistics about Dominicans in the US. Many in the Dominican community who receive some sort of welfare benefits are about the maintain assest in the DR without the knowledge of the US government. I personally know many who own from 20 - 1000 tareas of land, or have build a house and rent it out or just have it sitting there waiting for them, and are able to receive benefits. Medicaid is probably the most important and most valuable. Section 8 also makes a big difference for quite a few families.

The reality of using public assistance is you can not actually pay your bills if that is your only source of income. You must have something on the side which pays cash and you can't maintain a bank account over a very small amount. There is fairly large underground economy in any major city with a large immigrant population. With all these Dominican owned bodegas all over the place, 5% seems low for business ownership.
 

RGVgal

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May 26, 2008
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A very important point for that same source Minerva:



I believe the lack of education or knowledge of the English language, force them to get low skilled low payed jobs, of which they can't make end meets and have to apply for welfare. There is also the lack of compatibility and recognition of DR universities in the USA, as there a LOT of DR lawyers driving black taxis in NY, or doing some other low skill type of job. The same happens if you are a doctor (now they are starting to recognize the UASD and UNIBE titles in the states), or an accountant.

I think this applies to a small number, but a lot come over with the intent to collect welfare, section 8, SS/Disability and every other free gov't program. They hear about their sister, aunt, cousin, etc in NYC who is getting all this "free money" and they want the same thing. These women lie about being single mothers and not knowing who the father of their children is, so they can get all these services while the husband lives with them.
 

Vacara

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I think this applies to a small number, but a lot come over with the intent to collect welfare, section 8, SS/Disability and every other free gov't program. They hear about their sister, aunt, cousin, etc in NYC who is getting all this "free money" and they want the same thing. These women lie about being single mothers and not knowing who the father of their children is, so they can get all these services while the husband lives with them.

Lying or not these numbers are still worrisome. It would be interesting if Minerva can provide individual data about the different benefits Dominicans receive, she pointed out that 60% plus get some help, but getting food stamps while working is not the same as staying home and getting a welfare check.
 

AlterEgo

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There is also the lack of compatibility and recognition of DR universities in the USA, as there a LOT of DR lawyers driving black taxis in NY, or doing some other low skill type of job. The same happens if you are a doctor (now they are starting to recognize the UASD and UNIBE titles in the states), or an accountant.

Absolutely true. My husband works at a casino in AC, and there are Dominicans with Masters and Law Degrees from DR who are cleaning rooms and working in the employee cafeteria. The language is another issue - for example, my husband's sister has been in the US way over 20 years, even became a US citizen, and I still have to speak to her only in Spanish because she can't follow a conversation in English. Doesn't open up a lot of jobs to her.....and she's not an exception.
 

bachata

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Aug 18, 2007
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Most of the Dominican are smart they lives like pig here but wire most of the incomes back to DR to unsure a better retirement.
That is my case I live like a rich guy I'm A STUPID by doing as when in Rome do as the Roman do.
Look my wife wants to change the furniture just becouse she changed the color of the walls.

JJ
 

dominicanlou

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theres also the fact that most dominicans on welfare dont really know where that money is coming from. you hear them talk and as far as they know, no one is footing the bill but the wonderful government. they dont feel they are doing anything wrong by taking whats there to be taken. theres a general lack of awareness for how abuses of the welfare system make many americans feel, being that its coming from their pockets.

in their minds its free money, free food, like how balaguer used to give out "funditas" but on a larger scale.

they also use it to fund their families and property back home as others have mentioned.
 

minerva_feliz

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so far, so good (thread still open!)

Unless you live abroad I'm surprised you are surprised about these data.
I am from the Midwest, and have never even been to a big city on the East Coast. To the best of my knowledge, I had never met a Dominican before coming to the DR, where I have been for a couple years. The data did actually surprise me, just because of the facts that Dominicans are the poorest and the biggest beneficiaries of welfare, with such a high percentage.

Lying or not these numbers are still worrisome. It would be interesting if Minerva can provide individual data about the different benefits Dominicans receive, she pointed out that 60% plus get some help, but getting food stamps while working is not the same as staying home and getting a welfare check.
I wish I could. I haven?t been able to find similar reports that break down the statistics by country, or that goes into the specifics of what kinds of welfare programs, etc. It would be nice to have a more detailed analysis of Dominican immigrants, but one good thing about this brief report is that you can compare to other countries. If I come across something, I?ll post it.

in their minds its free money, free food, like how balaguer used to give out "funditas" but on a larger scale.
Interesting thought. Could it be that if there was a strong, historical pattern of direct government welfare assistance in the country of origin, the immigrant is more likely to apply in the U.S.? For example, Jamaicans are the 5th poorest, yet the rank much lower in the list for % of them that ask for welfare benefits. Is the government welfare system in Jamaica not as institutionalized and part of the culture as here in the DR?

I believe the lack of education or knowledge of the English language, force them to get low skilled low payed jobs, of which they can't make end meets and have to apply for welfare.
That would seem to make logical sense, but it seems the DR has something else going on for it, because: 64.4% of Guatemalans have below a high school degree, vs. only 38% of Dominicans. 4% of Guatemalans have a college degree vs. 10% of Dominicans. 21.3% of Guatemalans live in poverty, vs. 27.9% of Dominicans. And when it comes to welfare, only 38.7% of Guatemalans use welfare, vs. 63% of Dominicans. Why are the Guatemalans then, who have much lower levels of education, less likely to live in poverty and much less likely to use welfare than Dominicans?
 

Tom F.

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It is a little stange for me to read so much about Dominican poverty in the US when I see so much abundance amongst the Dominican community her in the NYC area. I see Dominicans not from pedigree rise to high position in the Dept. of Ed in NYC, I have numerous nieces and nephews and primos and primas who came to the US with very little and do so well here. I teach in NYC and have numerous Dominican students, and they are usually the most stable and productive students in the school (especially if the were born in the DR). I see my students on the plan ride down to the DR, and then other students when I am hanging out in San Francisco de Macoris. They are doing OK if you ask me.
 

ExtremeR

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This is speculating in my part but maybe the fact that 90% of the Dominicans in the US lives in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world and the most expensive in the USA, make them easier to qualify for poverty thus qualify for welfare benefits and if it given, why not use it. Not justifying, just thinking and speculating a bit.

With the same money you are poor in NY you can be middle class in Florida, that is what I am thinking. Don't slam me for that.
 

minerva_feliz

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I think you're onto something...

This is speculating in my part but maybe the fact that 90% of the Dominicans in the US lives in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world and the most expensive in the USA, make them easier to qualify for poverty thus qualify for welfare benefits and if it given, why not use it. Not justifying, just thinking and speculating a bit.

With the same money you are poor in NY you can be middle class in Florida, that is what I am thinking. Don't slam me for that.

That makes a lot of sense. The Dominicans are concentrated mainly into some expensive cities on the coast, while other groups are more spread out in states where the poverty threshold is lower.

And with the Dominicans having a stronghold in NY for so long, could it be that they 'know the ropes' of the system from friends and family, so are more likely to apply than other smaller groups in the Midwest, who still actually qualify? Sort of like what someone mentioned earlier, a culture of using welfare among immigrants?

What about the type of work available in NY and areas Dominicans are concentrated in population wise? Are they not many low-skill jobs, so maybe they have more trouble finding employment? Groups from Mexico and Central America seem to do more agricultural and hard manual labor in other areas of the country.

Could it also be because the Dominican immigrants are there for a longer haul, and the other groups are there without family for a shorter time to work (get money and go home quick)?

Or could it be that the family base that helps get the Dominicans their visas is economically weaker than the family base of other groups, so can't help them stay afloat or give them a boost to climb up the ladder?

All just speculations here, just trying to make sense of the statistics...