Divergent Immigrant Health Trajectories: Disparities in Physical Health Using a Multidimensional Conceptualization of Legal Status

Abstract

Immigrant health research demonstrates that foreign-born individuals generally experience lower morbidity rates relative to native-born individuals. However, this research often overlooks structural factors that influence the immigrant experience, such as legal status. The present study examines legal status as a multidimensional and dynamic characteristic that shapes immigrant health over time. I use two waves of the New Immigrant Survey (n = 3550) to assess if three dimensions of legal status — initial documentation classification, legal permanent residence (LPR) admission category, and US citizenship — predict likelihoods of reporting a chronic condition among a sample of immigrants who attained LPR. Results indicate that each of the three dimensions of legal status predicted health. Immigrants who obtained US citizenship improved their relative health over time, while immigrants with previous temporarily documented, undocumented, legalization, or refugee experience exhibited persistent disadvantage in the hierarchy of immigrant health. Findings demonstrate that the sociopolitical context continually shapes the physical health of immigrants, and a dynamic and multidimensional conceptualization of legal status can expose previously obscured disparities in the overarching pattern of an immigrant health advantage.

Legal Status and Fertility Patterns: Regulation-Induced Disruption Among Previously Undocumented Immigrant Women in Italy

“…Recently, some studies have applied a longitudinal approach to modelling the legal status as a dynamic category for the comparison of migrants who have experienced irregular spells before achieving legal status and those who have continuously experienced legal conditions (Shoumaker et al, 2022 ; Cheong, 2021 ; Jasso, 2011 ; Jasso et al, 2008 ). Previously undocumented immigrants have been observed to obtain less prestigious jobs in the long run (Kreisberg, 2019 ; Molinari et al, 2023 ) and to experience persistent disadvantages in health outcomes (Zajdel, 2023 ). Despite its relevance for investigating receiving contexts where undocumented experiences are widespread—e.g.…”

“…First, we provide fresh evidence on the role of legal status in shaping fertility patterns of migrant women. Previous studies (almost entirely conducted in the U.S.) have already shown that irregular status affects a variety of immigrant outcomes, from labour market to health conditions (Hall & Greenman, 2015 ; Kossoudji & Cobb-Clark, 2002 ; Zajdel, 2023 ). However, except for a few recent works on the fertility consequences of legalisation and enforcement policies (Amuedo-Dorantes & Arenas-Arroyo, 2021 ; Amuedo-Dorantes et al, 2023 ), limited evidence exists on the relationship between legal status and family dynamics both in the U.S. and Europe.…”