Relations between U.S.

-Born and
Immigrant Communities in Philadelphia
City Hall, Mayor's Reception Room
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19107
September 30, 2016

Michael Jones-Correa (mjcorrea@sas.upenn.edu)

University of Pennsylvania
Helen B. Marrow (helen.marrow@tufts.edu)
Tufts University
Dina G. Okamoto (dokamoto@indiana.edu)
Indiana University
Linda R. Tropp (tropp@psych.umass.edu)
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Why Focus on U.S.-Born Immigrant Relations?

q

Growing numbers of immigrants in recent decades,

moving into new cities and regions across the U.S.

Still, we know relatively little how about U.S.-born and

immigrant communities relate to each other

Key Research Questions

q

How much do the U.S.-born and immigrant communities

have contact with each other?

How much are these communities willing to welcome other

groups? How much do they feel welcomed by other
groups?

How civically engaged are members of these groups?

How do contact experiences

relate to welcoming others,
feeling welcomed, and being
civically engaged?

Why Philadelphia?
q

Historically recognized as a black-white metro area

in the mid-20th century

Rapidly diversifying with newer waves of immigration

Source: Audrey Singer, Dominic Vitello, Michael Katz and David Park. 2008. Recent Immigration to Philadelphia:
Regional Change in a Re-Emerging Gateway, Brookings Institution, Washington. DC. www.brookings.edu/reports/.../
1113_immigration_singer.aspx

Why Philadelphia?
q

Historically recognized as a black-white metro area

in the mid-20th century

Rapidly diversifying with newer waves of immigration

Source: Audrey Singer, Dominic Vitello, Michael Katz and David Park. 2008. Recent Immigration to Philadelphia:
Regional Change in a Re-Emerging Gateway, Brookings Institution, Washington. DC. www.brookings.edu/reports/.../
1113_immigration_singer.aspx

Our Research
q

Field Sites:

Philadelphia metropolitan area

(with comparison sample in Atlanta)

Groups:

U.S.-Born: Whites and Blacks

Immigrants: Mexicans and Indians

Samples:

250 telephone survey respondents

from each of the four target groups

Philadelphia
Whites &
White
Respondents

Philadelphia
Blacks &
Black
Respondents

Philadelphia
Hispanics &
Mex.
Respondents

Philadelphia
Asians &
Asian Indian
Respondents

Sample Characteristics

U.S.-Born
Whites
(N=253)

U.S.-Born
Blacks
(N=250)

Mexican
Immigrants
(N=250)

Indian
Immigrants
(N=251)

Gender
Female
Male

52%
48%

56%
44%

52%
48%

43%
57%

Age
Range
Median

18-90
50

18-90
50

18-82
34

18-91
46

Level of Education
8th Grade or Less
Some High School
High School Degree/GED
Some College
4-Year College Degree
Graduate Degree

0%
4%
25%
22%
25%
23%

1%
6%
30%
35%
17%
11%

27%
21%
42%
8%
1%
1%

0%
0%
6%
12%
25%
56%

Sample Characteristics

U.S.-Born
Whites
(N=253)

U.S.-Born
Blacks
(N=250)

Mexican
Immigrants
(N=250)

Indian
Immigrants
(N=251)

Years Living in the U.S.

Range
Mean

3-46
14

1-55
22

Citizenship Status
Not a U.S. Citizen
U.S. Citizen

86%
14%

21%
79%

Legal Status
Currently Unauthorized
Ever Unauthorized (either upon entry, or currently)

42%
70%

1%
2%

14%
52%
25%
9%

0%
4%
30%
66%

English Language Proficiency

Not at All
Just a Little
Pretty Well
Very Well

Who Has Contact With Whom?

Where? And How Does it Feel?
FREQUENCY OF CONTACT: How often do you interact with [group]
at work?
in the neighborhood?
around town, such as at malls, grocery stores, or restaurants?
(0) Never, rarely, sometimes, or often (3)
FRIENDLINESS OF CONTACT: When you interact with [group]
at work
in the neighborhood
around town, such as at malls, grocery stores, or restaurants?
how does it feel?
(-2) very unfriendly very friendly (2)

Who Has Contact With Whom? And Where?

often

never

Whites

Blacks

With
Blacks
Work

With
Mexicans

Neighborhood

With
Indians

Public Space

With
Whites
Work

With
Mexicans

Neighborhood

With
Indians

Public Space

Who Has Contact With Whom? And Where?

often

never

Mexicans

Indians

With
Whites

Work

With Blacks

Neighborhood

With
Indians

Public Space

With
Whites

Work

With Blacks

Neighborhood

With
Mexicans

Public Space

How Friendly is Their Contact?

very
friendly

Whites

Blacks

With
Blacks

With
Mexicans

With
Indians

With
Whites

-1

-1

-2
very
unfriendly

-2

Work

Neighborhood

Public Space

Work

With
Mexicans

Neighborhood

With
Indians

Public Space

Note: These graphs include data only from those respondents who reported having contact with
the specified group.

How Friendly is Their Contact?

very
friendly

Mexicans

Indians

With
Whites

With
Blacks

With
Indians

With
Whites

-1

-1

-2
very
unfriendly

-2

Work

Neighborhood

Public Space

Work

With
Blacks

Neighborhood

With
Mexicans

Public Space

Note: These graphs include data only from those respondents who reported having contact with
the specified group.

Who is Receptive to Whom?

When you think about [GROUP] in greater Philadelphia

q

WELCOMING OTHERS:

how often do you attempt to

welcome them into your community?
q

FEELING WELCOMED:

how often do you feel welcomed by them?

Who Welcomes Others?

often

never

Whites

Blacks

Who Welcomes Others?

often

never

Mexicans

Indians

Who Feels Welcomed by Others?

often

never

Blacks

Whites
3

Who Feels Welcomed by Others?

often

never

Indians

Mexicans
3

How Does Contact Relate to Receptivity?

Welcoming Others

Feeling Welcomed

Whites Contact with

Blacks
Mexicans
Indians

.33***
.44***
.33***

.23***
.25***
.22***

Blacks Contact with

Whites
Mexicans
Indians

.22***
.26***
.28***

.24***
.32***
.30***

Mexicans Contact with

Whites
Blacks
Indians

.49***
.46***
.38***

.39***
.48***
.48***

Indians Contact with

Whites
Blacks
Mexicans

.33***
.24***
.21***

.41***
.32***
.19***

Listed above are partial correlations controlling for age, gender, level of education, political ideology, home
ownership, and employment status. *p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001

Who Feels Threatened by Others? And in What Ways?

q

Jobs:
The more good jobs that go to [GROUP], the fewer
good jobs there will be for people like me.

Housing:
The more that [GROUP] move into good
neighborhoods, the fewer good neighborhoods
there will be for people like me.

Language:
The more that immigrants from [Mexico/India] speak a
language other than English here, the more they disrupt the
way of life for people like me.

Religion:
The more that immigrants from [Mexico/India] engage in their
religious practices here, the more they disrupt the way of life for
people like me.
All scored: (-2) disagree strongly agree strongly (2)

Who Feels Threatened by Others? And in What Ways?

High
Threat

Low
Threat

Whites

Blacks

-1

-1

-2

-2

From
Blacks
Jobs

From
Mexicans

Housing

Language

From
Indians
Religion

From
Whites
Jobs

From
Mexicans

Housing

Language

From
Indians
Religion

Who Feels Threatened by Others? And in What Ways?

High
Threat

Low
Threat

Mexicans

Indians

-1

-1

-2

-2

From
Whites
Jobs

Housing

From
Blacks
Language

From
Indians
Religion

From
Whites
Jobs

Housing

From
Blacks
Language

From
Mexicans
Religion

Does Contact Predict More or Less Threat?

ECONOMIC THREAT
Jobs

CULTURAL THREAT

Housing

Language

Religion

Whites Contact with

Blacks
Mexicans
Indians

-.11
-.11
-.02

-.11
-.19**
-.13

n/a
-.23***
-.16*

n/a
-.11
-.13*

Blacks Contact with

Whites
Mexicans
Indians

-.15*
-.01
-.08

-.09
-.01
-.12

n/a
-.10
-.13

n/a
.04
.00

.01
.02
-.05

.06
.03
.02

n/a
n/a
.00

n/a
n/a
-.05

-.26***
-.16*
.04

-.26***
-.17**
-.08

n/a
n/a
-.09

n/a
n/a
-.07

Mexicans Contact with

Whites
Blacks
Indians
Indians Contact with
Whites
Blacks
Mexicans

Listed above are partial correlations controlling for age, gender, level of education, political ideology, home ownership, and
employment status. *p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001

Who is Civically Engaged?

q

Composite measure of civic engagement (sum of 11 items)

In last 12 months have you done any of the following:
1. participated in a sports league?
2. attended a PTA or school group meeting?
3. attended a community group meeting?
4. organized a neighborhood event?
5. donated money to a local cause or organization?
6. volunteered your time for place of worship?
7. volunteered your time for a local charity or nonprofit organization?
8. contacted a local public official?
9. worked with others in your community to solve a problem?
10.participated in or helped organize a march, rally, or demonstration?
11.participated in or helped organize a festival or celebration in a
public space?

Who is Civically Engaged?

very much 11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

not at all

Whites

Blacks

Mexicans

Composite Civic Engagement

Indians

How Does Contact Relate to Civic Engagement?

CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT

Whites Contact with

Blacks
Mexicans
Indians

.23***
.28***
.23***

Blacks Contact with

Whites
Mexicans
Indians

.24***
.19***
.20***

Mexicans Contact with

Whites
Blacks
Indians

.38^**
.46***
.42***

Indians Contact with

Whites
Blacks
Mexicans

.11***
.18***
.07***

Listed above are partial correlations controlling for age, gender, level of education, political ideology, home
ownership, and employment status. ^p = .06 *p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001

Thank youWe Look Forward to Your Thoughts!

Special Thanks to:
n Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Managing Directors
Division of Community Services, City of Philadelphia
n Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians
n Russell Sage Foundation and Carnegie Corporation
n Laura Zweig and Sam Kye
n All our respondents
n All of you!
To learn more, feel free to visit our website:
http://philadelphia-atlanta.weebly.com/

Extra Slides Follow

Variable

U.S.-Born
Whites (N=253)

U.S.-Born
Blacks (N=250)

Foreign-Born
Mexicans (N=250)

Foreign-Born
Indians (N=251)

Gender
Female
Male

52%
48%

56%
44%

52%
48%

43%
57%

Age
Range
Median

18-90
50

18-90
50

18-82
34

18-91
46

Level of Education
8th Grade or Less
Some High School
High School Degree/GED
Some College
Four-Year College Degree
Graduate Degree

0%
4%
25%
22%
25%
23%

1%
6%
30%
35%
17%
11%

27%
21%
42%
8%
1%
1%

0%
0%
6%
12%
25%
56%

Employment Status
Full or Part Time
Not Employed

58%
42%

50%
50%

67%
33%

68%
32%

Pre-Tax Annual Household Income

Mean

$84,275

$56,115

$24,670

$109,734

Home Ownership
Home Owner
Rent or Other

70%
30%

53%
47%

16%
84%

71%
30%

Political Ideology
Strong Conservative
Moderate Conservative
Neither
Moderate Liberal
Strong Liberal

8%
16%
35%
28%
13%

10%
10%
52%
16%
12%

15%
27%
37%
11%
10%

4%
8%
43%
28%
17%

Religion
Catholic
Protestant (Evangelical or Other)
Jewish
Muslim
Hindu
Other (incl. Buddhist, Jain, Sikh)
No Religious Affiliation or No Belief in God

35%
26%
12%
1%
0%
11%
15%

10%
52%
0%
7%
0%
19%
13%

90%
6%
0%
0%
0%
3%
3%

1%
4%
0%
5%
77%
9%
4%

Skin Tone (1=very light; 7=very dark)

Mean

2.38

4.49

3.61

4.12