Firearm attitudes across borders: a comparison of immigrants’ and native-born Americans’ perceptions using a college community sample

Gun ownership is a widespread phenomenon in the United States. Indeed, in a recent national survey, almost half of U.S. non-gun owners reported they would consider owning a firearm in the future. This is a primary example of how the U.S. has become recognized as the world’s leading country for firearm ownership, with estimates indicating that there is nearly one gun for every person in the country. Using a college-based sample (N = 462), this study examines perceptions of gun ownership in the United States among immigrants and native-born citizens. In our sample, a larger share of U.S. born non – gun owners reported interest in owning a gun when compared to those who do not (58% vs. 42%), suggesting greater openness to future firearm ownership among native-born citizens. The results further reveal that immigrants and native-born citizens differ significantly in their views on gun ownership. Participants in our sample who self-identified as immigrants held significantly less favorable views of gun ownership when compared to native-born participants. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.