The intensification of U.S. immigration enforcement has shaped and continues to reshape the lives of millions of immigrant families. While much attention has been given to the immediate impacts on non-citizens, my study published in the Journal of Population Economics, entitled "Immigration enforcement and labor supply: Hispanic youth in mixed-status families," reveals new insight into the impacts of immigration enforcement on U.S.-born Hispanic youth in mixed-status families.
The study examines how sudden increases in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests influence the labor market behavior of U.S.-born Hispanic youth with non-citizen parents. The findings are striking! When there is a surge in immigration-related arrests, labor force participation among US-born Hispanic youth increases by as much as 6 percentage points, with weekly hours worked jumping by up to 20%. These findings are not merely a statistical anomaly; they reflect a forced adaptation to the economic shock caused by the withdrawal of non-citizen parents from the labor market.
The study draws a theoretical foundation using the "added-worker effect," traditionally used to describe intra-household labor supply in response to a shock such as a job loss. The findings within this context offer a contribution to the understanding of intra-household labor supply that is vertically integrated and can be taken as one of the many societal costs of aggressive immigration enforcement. The evidence from this study is clear: U.S.-born youth are stepping into the workforce prematurely, not out of choice, but out of necessity, as their families face heightened economic insecurity due to the threat of deportation.
This labor supply dynamic has significant implications for Hispanic youth in mixed-status families - labor market entry can disrupt educational attainment, limit future economic mobility, and perpetuate cycles of poverty and disadvantage that extend into other domaines of everyday life. Ultimately the consequence of aggressive immigration enforcement inadvertently impose long-term costs on U.S. citizens, particularly those from Hispanic backgrounds.
Addressing these unintended consequences requires a more comprehensive approach to immigration reform that considers all family members' well—being and seeks to mitigate the broader social and economic harms. As the debate over immigration policy continues, scholars, policymakers, and community leaders must consider the full spectrum of effects.
Rubalcaba J., Bucheli J., and Morales C. “Immigration Enforcement and Labor Supply:
Hispanic Youth in Mixed-Status Families.” Journal of Population Economics
Comments