Poverty and mental health among migrants: When is ingroup exposure more protective than social ties?

•Ingroup exposure in residential areas and social ties are typically positively linked to mental health among migrants.•We argue that whether migrants can reap the benefits of these protective factors depends on their poverty status.•Findings show that migrants below the poverty line do not benefit from ingroup exposure or social ties.•However, compared to natives, migrants above the poverty line do benefit from social ties.•We conclude that migrants might benefit more from protective factors when they are equipped to invest in them.