Using nationally representative survey data, this research note examines the association between immigrant legal status and poverty in the United States. Our objective is to test whether estimates of this association vary depending on the method used to infer legal status in survey data, focusing on two approaches in particular: (1) inferring legal status using a logical imputation method that ignores the existence of legal-status survey questions (logical approach); and (2) defining legal status based on survey questions about legal status (survey approach). We show that the two methods yield contrasting conclusions. In models using the logical approach, among noncitizens, being a legal permanent resident (LPR) is counterintuitively associated with a significantly greater net probability of being below the poverty line compared with their noncitizen peers without LPR status. Conversely, using the survey approach to measure legal status, LPR status is associated with a lower net probability of living in poverty, which is in line with a growing body of qualitative and small-sample evidence. Consistent with simulation experiments carried out by Van Hook et al. (2015), the findings call for a more cautious approach to interpreting research results based on legal status imputations and for greater attention to potential biases introduced by various methodological approaches to inferring individuals’ legal status in survey data. Consequently, the approach used for measuring legal status has important implications for future research on immigration and legal status.

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移民中的法律地位与贫困之间的关联：方法论上的警告

本研究报告使用具有全国代表性的调查数据，研究了美国移民法律地位与贫困之间的关联。我们的目标是测试这种关联的估计是否因用于推断调查数据中法律地位的方法而异，特别关注两种方法：（1）使用忽略法律地位存在的逻辑插补方法推断法律地位调查问题（逻辑方法）；(2) 根据有关法律地位的调查问题界定法律地位（调查方法）。我们表明这两种方法产生了截然不同的结论。在使用逻辑方法的模型中，在非公民中，成为合法永久居民 (LPR) 与显着更大的净概率相反与没有 LPR 身份的非公民同龄人相比，他们处于贫困线以下。相反，使用调查方法来衡量法律地位，LPR 地位与生活在贫困中的净概率较低有关，这与越来越多的定性和小样本证据相一致。与 Van Hook 等人进行的模拟实验一致。（2015 年），研究结果呼吁采取更谨慎的方法来解释基于法律地位插补的研究结果，并更多地关注各种方法论方法引入的潜在偏见，以推断调查数据中的个人法律地位。因此，用于衡量法律地位的方法对未来关于移民和法律地位的研究具有重要意义。