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Abstract

This article compares two different methods for estimating the number of undocumented Mexican adults in Los Angeles Country (i.e., the Los Angeles Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area or PMSA). The first method, called the survey-based method, uses a combination of 1980 census data and the results of a survey conducted in Los Angeles County in 1980 and 1981. A sample was selected from babies born in Los Angeles County who had a mother or father of Mexican origin. The survey included questions about the legal status of the baby's parents and certain other relatives. The resulting estimates of undocumented Mexican immigrants are for males aged 18 to 44 years and females aged 18 to 39 years. The second method, called the residual method, is the method used by Warren and Passel (1987) and Passel and Woodrow (1984) to estimate the number of undocumented aliens counted in the 1980 census for the United States and each state, respectively. The method involves comparison of census figures for aliens counted with estimates of legally-resident aliens developed principally with data from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). For this study, estimates by age, sex, and period of entry were produced for persons born in Mexico and living in Los Angeles County.

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References

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Comparison of Two Methods for Estimating the Number of Undocumented Mexican Adults in Los Angeles County 1

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