68 percent of undocumented Los Angeles County residents have lived in US for more than a decade, report says

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Sixty-eight percent of undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles County have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade, according to a new report.

The findings were discussed at a day-long immigration summit hosted by the California Community Foundation. The research addressed how immigrants in the county are doing socially, civically, and economically in L.A. County.

The poverty rate of foreign-born Angelenos is 21 percent -- more than twice the rate of those born in the U.S., the study found.

"This one of the first very broad reports. It's going to be a baseline report, and every year we're going to issue a new report," said Antonia Hernandez, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation.

And when it comes to political influence, 60 percent of youth who are eligible to vote in 2020 are children of immigrants.

The summit included different voices from the Latino, African immigrant, and Muslim communities.

"Coming together is a form of solidarity but also a form of inspiration to help us to see that there is hope in bringing us all together," said Salem Al-Marayati, president and co-founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

Researchers hope the data translates into ideas and tangible results over time.

"Those of us who research and provide data, we don't change the world. We work with people who change the world." said USC professor Dr. Manuel Pastor. "So, what we try to do is to make sure that we've got good and strong ties with community organizers and civic leaders that can actually impact things."