Report: Most kids in immigrant families are citizens

Kids more likely to live in poverty, 2-parent households

By Colleen Slevin
The Associated Press

DENVER — Amid an intensifying national debate on immigration, the Colorado Children’s Campaign released a report Tuesday saying the majority of children born into the state’s immigrant families are U.S. citizens.

It also found immigrants’ children are more likely to live in poverty and have trouble speaking English than other children, but that more of them live in two-parent households.

It was the first time the nonprofit research and lobbying group had included immigration data in its annual report on the well-being of Colorado’s children. It will likely add fuel to a contentious battle over how many public services immigrant families, especially illegal immigrants, should receive.

“Most of these kids are U.S. citizens. So we think these U.S. citizens regardless of being in an immigrant family or not should have the same opportunities as everyone else,” said Van Schoales, interim president of the Colorado Children’s Campaign.

State Rep. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, a proponent of tougher immigration controls, said the law grants citizenship to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants but that should not stop legislators from trying to enforce immigration laws against their parents.

“They can decide whether to leave their children here or take them back to Mexico. That’s the parent’s decision, not the government’s decision,” Schultheis said.