From Color Lines:
Children whose parents are undocumented immigrants are less likely to finish high school, but their parents’ legalization tangibly improves students’ educational opportunities and outcomes, researchers have found. Researchers examined how 4,780 adult children of Mexican and Asian immigrants in Southern California fared in school, and found that students whose parents were undocumented finished two fewer years of school than students whose parents had legal status. The study found that parents’ legalization added about a year and a half to the amount of schooling that children completed, which researchers say, points to a tangible policy solution. The findings underscore the need for policies that allow for immigrants to become legalized, researchers said in their report. “It’s not just unauthorized immigrants we’re talking about,” said Susan Brown, a sociologist at the University of California, Irvine and a co-author of the report. “There’s a legacy effect of people remaining in the shadows.”

For the full story, please visit http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/11/legalization_for_undocumented_par...