Publication Date
3-11-2022
Abstract
Studies generally show higher rates of food insecurity among the immigrant population in the U.S. than among the native born, but often no distinction regarding citizenship and birthplace is made. Nor is the fact that households are often a mixture of foreign born and native born considered. Here data from years 2014-2017 of the Current Population Survey are used to examine household food insecurity in association with household citizenship type and receipt of food assistance. Foreign birth is not always associated with greater risk of food insecurity. Of households including foreign born individuals, only households composed entirely of noncitizens are more likely to be food insecure than households of U.S. mainland born citizens. Households composed entirely of birth citizens, with at least one born in U.S. territories, are also more likely to be food insecure. In contrast, households composed entirely of naturalized citizens are less likely to be food insecure. Also households containing a noncitizen, no adult citizen, and a child citizen are less likely to be food insecure.