Latino Children in America

The growing Hispanic population in America is reflected by the fact that 22% of all children under the age of 18 in America are Latino, up from only 9% in 1980. A majority of Latino children (52%) are “second generation,” meaning they are the sons or daughters of a foreign-born parent. In 1980, most Latino children were third generation or higher (57%), i.e., the U.S.-born children of U.S.-born parents. Today, that number stands at 37%. Hispanic children who are first or second generation are more likely not to be fluent in English and to have parents with less than a high school education. However, first- and second-generation Latino children are more likely than third-generation Latino children to live in married-couple families, and third-generation or higher children are more likely than the children of immigrant parents to use cigarettes, alcohol or illegal drugs and to engage in delinquent or violent behaviors. Read More