Who is a philanthropist? The (ignored) philanthropic impulse of immigrants and migrants in the U.S.

Abstract

This article folds into the limited conversations about migration in the field of public administration what is diaspora philanthropy, that is, philanthropic giving by immigrants and migrants. It confronts taken-for-granted assumptions about where in the philanthropic giving “equation” immigrants and migrants lie. This article provides empirical evidence from migrant civil society and reconsiders two narratives: (1) immigrants and migrants as takers and (2) philanthropy as an elite practice only. It seeks to bridge conversations about migration and philanthropy in the context of public administration scholarship. Using the illustrative case of Mexican migrant organizations and their leaders, the article probes the following questions: Who are migrant philanthropists? What is migrant civil society supporting? What motivates migrant philanthropists? The article argues with evidence that immigrants and migrants in the U.S. are philanthropically engaged. The findings suggest that while the challenges of migration in the field are important, migration has other consequences and perhaps even has untapped potential.