Revisiting economic threat and cultural concerns: Public opinion toward immigration and non-citizens by race

Abstract

This research examines opinions on issues related to immigration and non-citizens. Using ordered logit, this study assesses whether the cultural theory and realistic group conflict theory, through cultural considerations and economic threat, respectively, describes best the opinions across racial groups. Unlike most other studies on the subject, I find that while Americans are not very much concerned about cultural influences from immigrants, they clearly perceive immigrants as an economic threat. Also, unlike most other studies that focus solely on White opinions, this investigation examines opinions of several racial groups. I find that while Whites have both cultural concerns and perceive economic threat from immigrants, they only perceive economic threat from Hispanics. African Americans and Hispanics do not perceive adverse cultural effects, but both racial groups perceive economic threat from immigrants. Additionally, African Americans perceive economic threat from Hispanics. Asian Americans harbor both cultural concerns and perceive economic threat from immigrants.

Keywords: Cultural concerns; Cultural theory; Economic threat; Immigration; Realistic group conflict theory.