The impact of immigration on interracial marriages
Did you ever figure that mass immigration could be slowing down the rate of interracial marriages? Well it seems the impact isn’t widely understood. The argument is that by expanding racial/ethnic immigrant enclaves, mass immigration makes it easier for immigrants to find partners within their own race or ethnicity.
Take California: Much as White male and Asian female marriages are like the norm, the proportion of interracial children is growing unusually slow. And you may wonder why? Apparently, the flooding of immigrants into this state has relentlessly retarded the overall growth of inter-marriage. This a contradiction to the popular position held by proponents of the 1965 Immigration Act.
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Continued mass immigration has heavily retarded the growth in the rate of interracial marriages. And the main reason is the massive invasion of immigrants who seldom intermarry. While native-born Americans may be doing their part to intermarry (thrice as much as immigrants would), most immigrant mothers may be married at the time of immigration. Or could it be that most immigrants only marry across ethnic boundaries coz they don’t find their own while in the foreign country?
So immigration is driving up the absolute number of mixed marriages - by raising the total population - but it is driving down the proportion of mixed marriages, by allowing previous immigrants to marry within their ethnic enclave.
So what should supporters of interracial marriage do to reduce the damage caused by immigration? Should we select immigrants who are more likely to intermarry (the young and single) or just cutback on quantity of immigrants? Just a thought…
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34 responses to "The impact of immigration on interracial marriages"
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Lovelyone_27 says:Posted: 13 Aug 09I'm not writing this for anyone to take offense, but as far as the comments go about african americans and africans of different decents holds alot of merrit it seems that there are tensions within these groups. I am an african american female who was raised in the cities of new jersey where the population of african cultures is very prominient, and the way we've been pron to think is that other cultures rather it be of different africn decents or other cultures like mexicans, indians, and asians. They all seem to have formed their own opinion about the african american race that is not positive for whatever reasons they've been taught.I find that white races are always excepted within these groups before african americans are because of things they've been led to believe about us that are not always true.and I've heard where it seems that we are hated by the different groups within the african cultures to some degree I've been told that they think their better than we are.and now that I've read some of the comments on here it's become clearer that, the tension and hatred does'nt just reign from just one group of africians alone. don't get me wrong, I would love to try finding love with a guy of another race, but my thing is forever being judged and feeling out of place because of bigotry and ignorance of closed minded people.I would love to date outside of my race without that dark cloud of feeling that I was'nt good enough to do so.based on societies statistics and views.Love is not suppose to be so stressing, Or having to be put in a position of being made to feel inferrior. and believe it or not I like seeing the communion of interracial couples and for alot of u to express ur selfs on the subject like u do gives me a little hope. alot of you are bigger and stronger then I am it's just that it's bad enough to have to hear about and deal with the flack in your every day life but when u have to deal with it because of who u choose to love and spend the rest of ur life with seems to cross the line. And I'm still trying to figure out if it's something i can handle and deal with because lets face it u have no choice but to go outside of home and face the world outside maybe on a regular basis. it can't possibly be comforting to be on an outing with ur significant other,and have to deal with the ignorance of closed minded people. and a lot of u may say u don't care or it don't bother u but at some point it will because rather u want to admit it or not people's thoughts and opinions do matter to some degree. maybe some of you can give me some advice!!!!!!! who knows!
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fkoi says:Posted: 19 May 08This piece seems to be way more inflammatory than informative. The first statement about increased immigration allowing people of like groups to find each other is so obvious that it hardly merits a mention. The next statement about White males/Asian females being "like the norm" is not true. The norm is people, native-born and immigrant, tend to marry withing their own group. That is likely to continue to be true. For that matter, I'll bet most Californians tend to marry other Californians, and so on. That doesn't indicate a bias. Next, the statistic that "natives" are 3X as likely to marry inter-racially is a useless statistic. Does that mean 1 in a million versus 3 in a million? One in six versus three in six? Neither of those is exactly a trend. Finally, how can anyone seriously suggest that immigrants be screened based on their liklihood to marry inter-racially? Someone who wants to move here would be foolish to say that they'd never if that barred their acceptance. Even if that were not the case, it is a ridiculous and unenforceable criteria. Next would native-born citizens face exile if they refuse to marry inter-racially?
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mossimo36 says:Posted: 16 May 08
Yes, we need more fit immigrants and screen out the mingas...
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ethereal99 says:Posted: 15 May 08
On second thought, let's just let in the "foxy" looking immigrants, more eye candy for us all.
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ethereal99 says:Posted: 15 May 08
OK, So, we supporters of interracial marriages are faced with: should we only let in the young & single immigrants or just cut back on the quantity of immigrants? WHAT THE F**K !!!!!!!!????
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mossimo36 says:Posted: 14 May 08
I know what you are saying Ms Jamaica. An old friend of mine came from Africa to attend college in the US. She said the American black students made fun of her so much that she ended being friends with the white students, which only made the black students more angry at her. I really felt for the situation she was way back when.
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mossimo36 says:Posted: 10 May 08
Shouldn't you post that on the actual dating site dreamluv?
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dreamluv says:Posted: 10 May 08hai all,but am single man looking someone special who believes God and who trusted worthy because i do so,but only white lady age 20 years to 50 years,am 29 yrs oldy.....my phone +256-782761004 am driver by professional with 4yrs eexperience,thanks
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lovely2see says:Posted: 07 May 08
I think this issue is more complex and challenging because of how the world is evolving. I love European men especially British and French. Don't worry fella's I've got nothing but love for my American men but I'll marry who ever I fall in love with. There may be a decline in intermarriage because many people hold to their cultural heritage which usually entails marrying within their own race, however, as they become Americanized I think the prospect of intermarrying will begin to increase as many become ingrained within the American culture. We are a big melting pot geographically and times will continue to change even if it goes in reverse momentarily.
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HereIamBaby says:Posted: 05 May 08I get what they are saying because the town that I live in has 442 people. there are no blacks, hispanics, asians, Russians...only whites! SO, yes it is hard to find what I am looking for. That is why I am on this iste. Southern smiles, Sharon
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SxyWhtTiger says:Posted: 05 May 08This would be the worst article I have ever read...It is so full racist comments and has nothing to do with immigration at all. You can't say that one race or any race is responsible for the problems of immigration because the problem is with the government and from the government that the people are trying to leave behind.
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MissJamaica says:Posted: 04 May 08
sxybrown, I was relating the experience a friend of mine has had. To be clear, I have experienced the WORST of the stereotyping of Jamaicans/caribbean people not from white americans, but from BLACK. And what makes it bad is not that some do not know, but that they wallow in the ignorance and get hostile and try to tell me about MYSELF and MY culture when they don't know, all they know is a dvd. I am African descent yes, but I am not African-American. I was raised in a different culture and I am not about to deny myself to please anyone. Pinket I hardly think anyone was afraid to be labelled African, except there is no such thing...that is a continent with SEVERAL countries on it, which one are you claiming? And that's my point. One day this country will get to the point where this site is no longer necessary and African is not needed to separate you as an American from the rest of Americans born here...but til then, here we are. Cultural differences do exist, if it seems condescending, let's not forget how often as foreign students in high school and such black americans made sure to make fun of those differences, sometimes DAILY. I am on this site because it is not the race of a person that matters to me, but their social background. Just being white doesn't make me like you. You could be a ghetto white person and I wouldn't be able to relate to that because I didn't grow up that way. There's a name for it...CLASS differences...but "class" is a bad word in America, lol, so we keep confusing the main issue with racism (which is there, too, but is not what is going on here in what we are discussing). If I meet an openminded American black, I'm fine with dating them...but as I have actually married one before and some of the same culture differences became an issue...I don't really feel an obligation there. Don't knock it til you try it? I've tried it. And yes, there are many men of all races who are dogs and whatnot, but let's be honest, statistics report most black women are with black men, and most single parents (as in never married, we're not counting divorcees and widows) are black women...so that points to a lot of black men leaving a lot of black women in the lurch. I didn't make all that up, I came here and saw it already under discussion. The people that tell me how unavailable black men are...are the black WOMEN...not statistics, not white people, etc. So if you guys correct my rosy equal opportunity view and act like your men are in some kind of extremely short supply (good ones)...who am I to say no you're wrong? So many of you feel that way, I have to accept that there are bigger cultural things going on than i might know. And then again, all of you are on this site for a reason. I am not having an issue with men of colour in general, I just realize that with racial tensions in this country, it's harder for a man to approach me as men usually do (if they are white) because they don't know who's okay with the date and who would look at them like they had lost their minds. So this site gets that out the way. This is surely not the only site I am on, and I actually get approached by plenty of black men on here, even those who say in their profile they are only looking for white women! So that shows it's not REALLY the colour that's bothering them, since I am very obviously black. And yes, I do not buy the all blacks are the same argument at all. African countries do not fight each other because 'they are a bunch of blacks fighting blacks'...we are the ones who simplify complex issues to COLOUR...they are different cultures sharing the same lands, sometimes with boundaries forced on them by the colonial whites, and that is part of why they fight. We in the west feel "oh they are the same colour so they should get along"...if England and the US don't get along (aka The American Revolution)...does anyone sit around saying "oh what IS it with this white on white violence?"...no...that was a difference of ideas and eventually, culture as america developed it's own identity and traditions...moral of my story, stop using skin colour as some kind of superficial glue. My ties are to my immediate family above and beyond everyone else...black or no black. My skin is a part of what makes me who I am, but it is one of the LEAST important parts of who I am. I don't want anybody feeling one with me because of my colour, cause that means my meaning to them is about skin deep. Colour matters and that's not going away anytime soon, but let's start looking at the more complex issues as well, and we will see the whole colour thing for what is...a convenient blinder that distracts us. Jamaicans have their issues, Jamaica has its issues...but the article was discussing foreigners and their impact on racial issues in america...not immigrants to Jamaica...and we don't hyphenate the names of the different races that make up jamaica, they are all just Jamaican...so it's not so much condescending as discussing some realities of the topic at hand.
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pinket says:Posted: 04 May 08
ha! now it looks like some are afraid to be labelled as africans,lets clear it;black american,jamaican anything black but human =AFRICAN (ME INCLUSIVE)HAPPY?COME ON JUST EMBRACE YO ROOTS
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majestic_one says:Posted: 03 May 08
very interesting. i can see how peole can say that immigration is causing the mass' here to slow down repoduction and interracial relationships. but i also think thats not the main problem. i think its still the stereo types that exist here in the states that are causeing the problems. europeans have a reputation for being socially acceptable of different ethnic backgrounds mixing it up. yet here in the u.s. we still harbor "laws" that say it's a no-no to marry/intermingle with someone of a different ethnicity. something is wrong with that. because last i checked, we all bled the same color blood, we all had basic organs, we all were human.
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akbar says:Posted: 03 May 08People have a lot of prejudices rather it is intraracial or interracial. I think the best way to over come it is to learn about others and don't restict yourself to your own little world. I have learned a lot from a lot of the posters. I think only this site presents us with the opportunity to express ourselves in this way. So a big up to AR!
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HydrabadChik says:Posted: 02 May 08
I'm Haitian. This is based on my experience growing up in the States. When Blacks from other nations first arrive in the US, it's hard to get used to the very strict and unbreakable code of behaviors required to gain acceptance, never mind respect. As kids young African & Carribbean immigrants learn that they bring drama down on their own heads because they wear "too many colors", non-brand name clothes and they wear hairstyles that peg them as unsophisticated. I learned that African Americans don't want to be confused with us - we're beyond country. During the teens and twenties hormones seem to level the playing playing field a bit for some. Despite best efforts our world view is too different and I only know a few American-Caribbean matches that work. I have a great deal of admiration for what the black community has achieved in this country. All the more so when I travel around the world and see how different it is out here. But when I'm around African Americans in the US, I very quickly realize I'm on the outside looking in.
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kathugga says:Posted: 02 May 08
When I lived in Tampa (the first time) I belonged to a mostly black church. My girlfriend was from Haiti originally and did not like American black people. My pastor said that was a common response with immigrant black people whether from Africa or the Caribbean. We had several friends from Africa--Ghana and Ethiopia, as well as a small section of the Islands--Bahamas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Haiti--and the disdain they felt for American Blacks was common among them all. There was still some between the Africans and the Islanders as well, but they seemed to be more comfortable with each other than with Americans. Some were comfortable with me as well, others were amazed (apparantly in some parts of the world people are led to believe that White people in America either hate or just don't like Black people). As for doliver's comment that "Many of us think that Black Americans do not like us.", I've run into that idea with people from a variety of countries, European, South American, African. One person I chatted with for a while finally stopped (she was upset that I was American) because Americans hate Brazillians because they are cutting down the rain forest! Sigh. Anyway, the feelings of my girlfriend were the first time that I had come across "INTRA-racial" prejudice. I was more than a little shocked actually (ok, I was naive then lol!) that such a thing could happen. Even more shocking was the knowledge that even among American Blacks there was a prejudice about how dark or light skinned people were. so, after all of this, I suppose that it is very likely that mass immigration does affect the numbers of interracial dating and marriage, very probably due to family and peer pressure to stay with their own. One example I know of is a lady at work (she is Vietnamese) who is with a white man. There was another Vietnamese woman working there who was married to a vietnamese man. the second one actually started yelling at the first for being with and daring to have children with an white man, and actually slapped her across the face (IN THE STORE!) because she wasn't with someone of her own race. Feelings can run very high with new immigrants regarding racial purity. Guess it's a HUMAN race trait, that, spanning all races and continents, except for those who like, love, and prefer other races for whatever reason.
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doliver says:Posted: 02 May 08I am originally from Trinidad, and yes there is a culture difference between African-Americans and Caribbean blacks. I certainly would not characterize it as dislike, but perhaps misunderstanding between the groups. Many of us think that Black Americans do not like us. On another note there seems to be a lot of confrontation going on in this thread.
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Sxybrwnsuga says:Posted: 30 Apr 08
This question is posed to Miss Jaimaica and or Nordicia. It sound as though you two have a problem with "African American people" or is it just the men? I've heard of some Jaimaicans not liking blacks in America. Don't forget originally we all came from the same place just a different boat to a different destination.
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Akbar says:Posted: 30 Apr 08
It is not shocking that most blacks regardless of nationality are more open to interracial dating than other groups. I think it has a lot to do with our nature and experiences. I think it is wrong to generalize to state that you may not date someone of the same race due to a negative experience with someone of your race.
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lawaridi says:Posted: 29 Apr 08
well, ladies and gentlemen, what can i say, sometimes we find love with different cultures and race. i have dated white people and to be honest i have been dating the wrong kind, but i do not agree with this issue being discussed, i have friends, who have married, inside their race, culture etc, and they are not happy, to be honest, i cannot marry one from my country, why? we had nothing in common. I would say, race, or no race, culture or no culture,if interratial marriages work, go for it.when you find love,work on it, and be happy, you only have one life to live!!!!!!!!
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mossimo36 says:Posted: 29 Apr 08
Re-read what I wrote sxybrwn....I said someone from a xenophbic culture. Not a specific group. Meaning a culture that is not open to outsiders. My experience is not based on a race or ethnicity, and yes, I would say the same thing if the person was Russian, if Russians are xenophobic.
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thickgapeach says:Posted: 29 Apr 08
I see absolutely nothing wrong with dating inside your race. Most of the time you are on the same page culturally with that person. I also have to take offense Miss Jamaica's and Nordicia's comments about black Americans. It smacks of condescension. Sure, there are plenty of brothers who will dog you out but I am sorry to say that that type of behavior is not limited to black men exclusively. A man of any race will only treat you the way you allow him to, period. So you really can't generalize about one segment of the population b/c of one or more than one negative experience.
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lilo4love says:Posted: 29 Apr 08
Though this is not the core issue, I totally agree with you Nordicia. The assumption that just because one is black/white means you can get along with people from the same race but different cultures, countries, continents etc is just plain wrong. So that an African black should date an African American Black or a Eastern European white automatically gets along with an American black is just plain ignorant. Back to Ria's issue, I have lived abroad and i can tell you yes, i did tend to gravitate to people from my own country and i was more willing to date within the familiar. But in the end race did not matter, i finally ended up with a wonderful guy and he was not of my race.
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Nordicia says:Posted: 29 Apr 08
Wow, I am in awe!! MissJamaica, hit the nail on the head. I am here wondering if she is writing about my life, my choices. Girl all of what you said is so true. It is not about the colour of the skin, it’s about how you/they are cultured. I have been in this country for approximately six years and let me tell you I have dated a Black American and I can say this with no water in my mouth, I really don't see myself ever doing that again. We have nothing in common, we see the world totally different and I must say I have interacted with Black American as well and it’s pretty much the same. We are just of two different worlds. I am pretty sure If I was still in my home land (Jamaica) I would be married to a Jamaican man, may he be black, pink, white or blue (hence our Motto "Out Of Many One People!᾿) Well, I am not there, so its gonna be a whiteeee for sure, smiles.
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MissJamaica says:Posted: 29 Apr 08
Actually, as far as Jamaican is concerned, I know plenty of Jamaican men, and some Jamaican women, who will marry a white american over a black one, if they can't a find a decent Jamaican to marry. So yes, for many (not all), the tendency is to marry one's own kind...or one of the nearest socio-economic background...I have a female friend that does not at all date black americans, and it's not anything dealing with their skin colour because she is as dark as they come...she just feels she has nothing in common with them, and the trends in black american pop culture are disgusting to her...she will definitely date a black man of jamaican or other caribbean descent, so again, it's NOT the colour that's the issue...she is currently dating a white guy, and having no problems...she dated a black Jamaican man before... I always have a soft spot in my heart for my own kind (and that means Jamaican, of any race, cause we have them all and a few new mixes to boot, lol)...but I'm in America, and it's what, 70% white? I'd be ridiculously stupid to exclude 70% of the potential dating pool waiting on only Jamaicans to fit the bill. As long as the American interested in me is not spouting ignorance about the Caribbean, and is serious about me, of course...I am willing to step outside the boundaries.
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blkbeauty31 says:Posted: 28 Apr 08Actually, i believe that mass immigration has been the opposite and good! I've seen people that would not otherwise find love, find it in interracial relationships and many of them with immigrants. Immigrants have also provided more options and flavor - that felt kinda funny to say that, but they does.
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HydrabadChik says:Posted: 28 Apr 08
Hmm....Be aware that the wave is coming and get ready to deal with it, I guess. Even if it's hard, it's also bound to be interesting. Sounds like opportunity to me.
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Sxybrwnsuga says:Posted: 28 Apr 08
Mossimo36, Let's get real here, in 2008 immigration and Mexicans go hand in hand in the United States. When we talk about immigration in this country you rarely here of Africans, middle eastern, etc. I don't think because that person was an "immigrant" that you experienced difficulties, maybe it was because that person was from a different ethnicity that you experienced that difficulty. I wonder if you would be saying the samething if the person was a Russian immigrant or Polish immigrant.
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mossimo36 says:Posted: 28 Apr 08
To me the article is about intermarriage in general and not specific to Mexicans or Asians. Immigrants could be African, or Middle Eastern as well. I do understand the point as most immigrants marry inside their group. I was married to an immigrant at one time, and know firsthand the difficulties experienced in marrying someone from a xenophobic culture.
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Sxybrwnsuga says:Posted: 28 Apr 08
Who really cares??? So what if a mexican immigrant want to marry within their enthic group. Why is this article relevant to this site???? Why do people put such a negative spin on immigration when it comes to "Mexicans". Now we want to blame them for the decrease in interracial marriages????? Come on now.
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It seems to me, ANYONE with a calculator can quickly do the math on this issue; if given a few realistically accurate facts of course; which seldom happens...lol. The PERCENTAGE of ANY specific thing is going to appear modified,... when an increased number of GENERAL integers is introduced into an equation. Then if you assume biased "FACTS" into the context, you can make ANY summation seem plausible. For example, as the number of already-married couples from other cities, states and countries migrate and merge into Southern California, there are evidential indicators which seem to validate RIA's hypothesis. I'm no rocket-scientist of course,... but it seems clear to me, that so-called "facts" are subject to the whims of interpretation, even if they're true. What if there are one hundred-thousand black-white interracial marriages within the general population of a region the size of the Greater Los Angeles Basin ? For information-sake, that general population exceeds 17 MILLION people at the present; and is steadily on the increase (not the decline, as some statistics have mistakenly reported. Los Angeles is steadily GROWING. REASONABLY,... being a major port-region,... it makes sense that this population increase is very powerfully impacted by an exponential international influx. In truth,... there are more people in Los Angeles who come from BELIZE, JAMAICA,... even ISRAEL,...than there are...(actually LIVING in) those countries!! TRUE FACT. I'm sure that Miss Jamaica, HydrabadChik, Nordicia and others of you will agree, if you do the research; and quickly see where I am going with my line of reasoning. The increase in the percentage of newly married interracial couples may (appear to become) lower or perhaps higher in any given year;..due to factors which are totally outside the postulated equation. It may have precious-little to do with the actual number of new marriages, as much as with the total population influx of both already-married and single individuals who move in and out of Los Angeles in any given month; let alone any given year or set of years. With all of the myriad influences and variables this population shift represents, it seems spurious at best to even (suggest) that foreign influence has any real non-positive effect on the interracial marriage ratio. But... you can make synthetic wisdom out of anything, regardless of how flimsy or non-existent the so-called "facts" are, realistically. --Just ask GEORGE BUSH !!! I've enlisted only ONE possible co-factor. Surly there are MANY. But I believe that LOVE within the scope of interracial relationship is viable; and not in decline. If it is argued that a decline exists, then blame it in part, on the morale of marriage in general; not on a specific ethnic "de-selection". Sadly, it could be said without much objection, that there is more of a looseness and laxness about the concept of legalized marriage here in California. Compared to that of people who migrate from other cultural backgrounds, legalized marriage is often not the relationship many couples seem to desire in many instances. This is due in part, to the way tax regulations and social benefit programs seem to have targeted and non-beneficially impacted couples who might otherwise have chosen to formalize their loving relationship. I'm being nice. But believe me, I'm boiling!!! I am one, who will not consider marriage EXCEPT it be to a spouse of COLOR!!! Am I prejudice....??? Probably some would say so. But I don't care about whether or not others are of a differing opinion. I've made my choice !!! I care about ALL people. But I LOVE, HIGHLY REGARD, RESPECT, HONOR and ADORE the FABULOUS BLACK WOMAN !!! There is NO OTHER person I will surrender my life to, than a loving, intelligent, powerful, sophisticated WOMAN OF DESTINY !!! I will marry a TRUE QUEEN !!! very humbly, Wise Choice