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Using data from the 2000 Public Use Sample of the U.S. census, this research examined how estimates of school enrollment and school-work patterns among Mexican-origin adolescents are affected by including or excluding young immigrants who never enrolled in U.S. schools. The analysis demonstrates that a nontrivial share of adolescents who were born in Mexico almost certainly never enrolled in U.S. schools; these youths most likely migrated to the United States for work. Excluding these adolescents from analyses substantially reduces gaps in school enrollment between Mexicans and whites and between native and foreign-born Mexicans. Excluding never-enrolled immigrant youths also changes the relationship between the duration of U.S. residence and idleness among Mexican immigrant youths, revealing that additional years of residence in the United States increase the likelihood of being out of school and not working compared to being in school and not working. Overall, inferences about the level of school enrollment and intraethnic differences in school enrollment by duration of residence depend on how those who are likely to have never enrolled in U.S. schools are treated. Inferences about interethnic differences are also affected, although they are somewhat less sensitive to this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the occupational component of the labor market adjustment of Hispanic immigrants. The author asks whether Hispanic immigrants assimilate with natives and what factors influence occupational attainment. The findings suggest that years since migration narrow the socioeconomic gap between Hispanic immigrants, their U.S.-born Hispanic counterparts, and non-Hispanic whites. The level of human capital affects the rate of occupational mobility and determines whether convergence occurs in the groups’ socioeconomic occupational status. The occupational status of Hispanic immigrants with low human capital remains fairly stable and does not converge with that of non-Hispanic whites. However, those with high human capital experience upward occupational mobility. In part, their occupational assimilation is driven by the acquisition of human capital among younger Hispanic immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1985-90, metropolitan Los Angeles received about 400,000 working immigrants and about 575,000 working native in-migrants. We subdivide these native- and foreign-born migrants by national origin and ethnicity to examine the processes that channel recent arrivals into different industrial sectors. Our analysis extends previous research on migrant employment and the ethnic division of labor in two ways. We compare the employment of recent arrivals to residents for several groups across a large, diverse, regional economy. We also consider the role educational qualifications play in the allocation of different migrant groups to jobs at this aggregate analytical scale. The results show that both native- and foreign-born groups channel into particular industrial sectors. The strength of group channeling, however, varies by national origin and ethnic group. Native-born in-migrants are more likely to channel into the industries where their co-ethnic residents work than immigrant newcomers. We also find some groups more likely to take jobs based on their educational qualifications (whites, blacks, Filipinos and Chinese), whereas ethnic group effects dominate the choice of industry of others (Koreans). The analysis investigates the issue of interethnic labor market competition by comparing the employment profiles of newcomers with those of resident ethnic groups. It shows that immigrants experience more interethnic labor market competition from newcomers than do native whites and blacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed comparison of intergenerational mobility into one elite occupation-engineering--in Britain and the U.S. reveals contrasting patterns and indicates some of the mechanisms, especially education, that tend to be ignored in broad national comparisons. Changes in recruitment into engineering during the past forty-five years indicate increasing rigidity in the U.S. and a pattern of increasing fluidity in Britain. In addition, high status origins are more highly related to professional success in the U.S. than they are in Britain. The advantages of cumulative evidence based upon comparisons of particular occupational and educational institutions are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In June 2012, the US Supreme Court ruled on Arizona's 2010 immigration law. The court unanimously sustained the most in/famous part of the law, which requires state law enforcement officials to determine the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest if there is reason to suspect that the individual might be an 'illegal' immigrant. However, it blocked the implementation of other provisions, with the majority of judges rejecting measures that would have subjected individuals to criminal penalties for activities like seeking work. It has become apparent that the ruling is likely to set the ground rules for the immigration debate, with supporters of the Arizona law pushing for 'show me your papers' provisions in more states and opponents trying to overturn criminal sanctions for those who do not have the papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]