Determinants of refugee naturalization in the United States

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Nadwa MossaadJens Hainmueller

Abstract

The United States operates the world's largest refugee resettlement program. However, there is almost no systematic evidence on whether refugees successfully integrate into American society over the long run. We address this gap by drawing on linked administrative data to directly measure a long-term integration outcome: naturalization rates. Assessing the full population of refugees resettled between 2000 and 2010, we find that refugees naturalize at high rates: 66% achieved citizenship by 2015. This rate is substantially higher than among other immigrants who became eligible for citizenship during the same period. We also find significant heterogeneity in naturalization rates. Consistent with the literature on immigration more generally, sociodemographic characteristics condition the likelihood of naturalization. Women, refugees with longer residency, and those with higher education levels are more likely to obtain citizenship. National origins also matter. While refugees from Iran, Iraq, and Somalia naturalize at higher rates, those from Burma, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Liberia naturalize at lower rates. We also find naturalization success is significantly shaped by the initial resettlement location. Placing refugees in areas th...Continue Reading

References

Aug 4, 2005·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Grant N MarshallChi-Ah Chun
Jun 1, 2004·Population Research and Policy Review·Karen A Woodrow-LafieldBunnak Poch
Sep 30, 2015·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jens HainmuellerGiuseppe Pietrantuono
Aug 6, 2016·Science Advances·Jens HainmuellerDuncan Lawrence
Sep 13, 2017·BMC Research Notes·Annette M AldousUNKNOWN DC Cohort Executive Committee
Jan 18, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jens HainmuellerDavid D Laitin
Jan 20, 2018·Science·Kirk BansakJeremy Weinstein

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Citations

Aug 29, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Irene Bloemraad
Apr 17, 2019·Nature Human Behaviour·Michael HotardJens Hainmueller

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