The Effect of Immigration on Residential Segregation in U.S. Metropolitan Areas, 1990-2000

Support research and proposal development on the effects of immigration and residential segregation in U.S. metropolitan areas. Residential segregation among various Asian and Hispanic groups has remained the same or increased in recent decades, even as African American segregation has declined. High levels of immigration likely affect patterns of segregation, as new immigrants often settle in ethnic enclaves even as longer-term residents may disperse into outlying areas. The purpose of the analysis is to examine patterns of segregation in 1990 and 2000 for various racial/ethnic groups by nativity, and, among the foreign-born, by country of origin and year of entry into the U.S. This will be followed by a multivariate analysis of the effect of immigration on residential segregation. These analyses will provide insight as to whether the spatial assimilation model is an appropriate one for understanding immigrant residential patterns.