Nearly a third of El Paso kids are children of immigrants

By Erica Molina Johnson
El Paso Times
Posted: 05/08/2009 11:18:59 AM MDT

EL PASO -- Nearly 32 percent of El Paso's children live in families where one or both parents were born in another country, according to a study made public today.

Almost all of these children are U.S. citizens, the Center for Public Policy Priorities said in its annual survey, "Texas Kids Count: Our Border, Our Future."

"The argument about the border being filled with undocumented kids who don't deserve services is a bunch of bunk, and now you have the data to back it up," said Frances Deviney, director of Texas Kids Count.

The report also concluded that children in immigrant families are far more likely to live in poverty than those who live with parents born in America.

It showed that El Paso's median household income continues to trail the state median, that border and El Paso unemployment rates are higher than in the state overall and that children living on the border are more than twice as likely to live in poverty.

In 2006, 21.5 percent of Texas children lived in poverty. That figure climbs to 37.9 percent when looking at only El Paso, and to 45.4 percent when looking at all border counties.

Erica Molina Johnson may be reached at emolina@elpasotimes.com; 546-6132.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_12325907