Children's HealthWatch

Children of Immigrants

In the United States, 20% of children younger than 6 years have immigrant parents.  This is the fastest growing population of children in the U.S.  The majority of these children are U.S. citizens, making them eligible for federal assistance programs.  However, these programs, especially SNAP benefits, often do not reach these children, making them particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and poor health.  As an equally important component of the country’s future society and workforce, children of immigrants must have access to these important programs.  Compared to households with members that are all U.S. born, households with immigrants are at a higher risk for food insecurity. 

Children’s HealthWatch collects and analyzes data on the health and well-being of aged zero to three years – nearly 40% of our sample is made up of children of immigrants.  In the first three years of life all babies and toddlers are in the most sensitive period of development in which their brains will more than double in size if the proper nutrition and building blocks are provided.  However, the increased risk of food insecurity for children of immigrants can hinder their proper growth and  development.  As the fastest growing child population in the U.S., this raises concerns about the health, cognitive development, socioemotional skills, and school performance for the next generation of the U.S. population.