ABSTRACT
We examine the impact of the Chinese Student Protection Act (CSPA) of 1992 on the children of those who likely received Green Cards under the US legislation. Using a differences-in-differences methodology with the American Community Survey from 2001–2017, we find that having immediate access to a Green Card for mainland Chinese mothers had a positive impact on their children, while mainland Chinese fathers’ Green Card eligibility does not affect children’s outcomes. Our findings highlight the importance of mother’s employment and earnings on children’s human capital development. It appears that the CSPA has served to enhance the human capital outcomes of second-generation Chinese immigrants.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.