Originally Published: KFF
Introduction
One in four children aged 18 and under living in the U.S. has at least one immigrant parent. Policies that may be implemented under the incoming Trump administration could have significant implications for these children, the vast majority of whom are citizens. These policies include potentially reinstating changes to public charge policy that were implemented during the first Trump administration, a proposal to end birthright citizenship for the children of some immigrants, and plans to carry out mass detention and deportations of immigrants, potentially including their citizen children and other family members. Birthright citizenship is a right guaranteed under the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution for children born in the U.S. regardless of their parents’ immigration status at the time of the child’s birth. Such actions could increase fears and confusion among children of immigrants and increase reluctance among parents to enroll them in programs for which they are eligible, including health coverage. They may also have long-term ramifications for the nation’s economy and workforce given the significant contributions immigrants and the adult children of immigrants make.
This brief provides key data on socioeconomic characteristics and health coverage among children (aged 18 and under) of immigrants based on KFF analysis of the 2023 American Community Survey 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample. It also examines potential implications of policies and actions that may be implemented by the incoming Trump administration. Key takeaways from the analysis include the following:
One in four children aged 18 and under in the U.S. has an immigrant parent, and the vast majority of these children are U.S. citizens. As of 2023, 19 million, or one in four, children in the U.S. had an immigrant parent. This includes one in ten (12%) who are citizen children with a noncitizen parent, a similar share (11%) who are citizen children with a naturalized citizen parent, and 3% who are noncitizen children.
Most children of immigrants live in households with a full-time worker regardless of parental citizenship status; however, children with a noncitizen parent are more likely than children with citizen parents to live in lower income households. More than eight in ten citizen children live in a household with a full-time worker across parental citizenship statuses, and over three in four (76%) noncitizen children live in a household with a full-time worker. However, noncitizen children (33%) and citizen children with a noncitizen parent (27%) are more likely than those with U.S.-born parents (20%) and naturalized citizen parents (14%) to live in lower income households with annual incomes of less than $40,000.
Uninsured rates among most children of immigrants remain low reflecting that most are citizens and broad coverage options are available for low-income children. As of 2023, fewer than one in ten citizen children with U.S.-citizen parents (4%) and citizen children with noncitizen parent(s) (8%) were uninsured. The small share of children who are noncitizens had a higher uninsured rate (25%). Low uninsured rates among most children reflect broad coverage for lower income children through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including state take-up of options to cover immigrant children and some state-funded coverage programs that cover children regardless of immigration status. However, coverage gaps remain for noncitizen children.
Policies that may be implemented under the incoming Trump administration could negatively affect the health and well-being of children of immigrants and have long-term negative consequences for the nation’s economy and workforce. During the first Trump administration, uninsured rates among children in immigrant families increased and immigrant families experienced negative impacts on health due to changes in public charge policy and enhanced enforcement actions. Potential immigration policies and actions that may be taken under the incoming Trump administration such as mass detention and deportation efforts, ending birthright citizenship, and/or reinstating changes to public charge policy would likely increase fears among immigrant families and negatively impact the health of children in immigrant families. The proposed policies would also likely have broader ramifications for the economy and workforce, given the major role immigrants and their adult children play, particularly in certain industries, including health care.
Overview of Children of Immigrants
As of 2023, 19 million or one in four children aged 18 and under in the U.S. had an immigrant parent. These include one in ten (12%) or 9 million who are citizen children with a noncitizen parent, a similar share (11%) or 8.3 million who are citizen children with a naturalized citizen parent, and 3%, or about 2.3 million, who are noncitizens themselves (Figure 1).
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