Vulnerabilities and Economic Wellbeing of Hispanics in Non-Metro Missouri

Non-metro Missouri has observed a net in-migration in the last decennial period and great part of these immigrants are Latinos (Lazos and Jeanetta). The literature contends that Latinos are being pulled into the rural areas by large agricultural operations and pushed out of urban areas by harsh immigration laws, and low job availability. The "context of reception" (Portes and Rumbaut) of communities where Latino newcomers settle impacts on how well they can integrate to the economy and settle as residents. This research addresses the factors explaining vulnerabilities faced by Latinos, and their economic conditions in non-metro Missouri, using the 2000 Census and Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) as well as county level data on racial profiling and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) database. The livelihoods framework (Chambers and Conway; Valdivia and Gilles; Bebbington; Ellis), a focus on capabilities, capitals, and the enabling context frames the study of the vulnerability of Latinos with respect to economic success. Racial profiling is a measure of the enabling context in communities. Regression of US born Latino wages on educational attainment, English interacting with education, work experience and mobility are significant. For foreign born Latinos significant factors are education, the interaction of education and good and low English ability, gender, work experience, racial profiling, and mobility. Being a foreign born Latina, racial profiling and mobility have all negative effects on earnings. Both low and high English ability interacting with education has a positive impact. Mobility's negative effect suggests further study of moving, which may be related to the Context of Reception.