Work

Fear and the Safety Net: Evidence from Secure Communities

Year: 2018

Type: report

Abstract: This paper studies how changes in deportation fear induced by the roll-out of Secure Communities (SC), a far-reaching immigration enforcement program, affected the demand for safety net programs in the United States.We estimate the spillover effect of SC on the take-up of federal means-tested programs by Hispanic citizens, who are not themselves eligible for removal.We find significant declines in SNAP and SSI enrollment, particularly among mixed-citizenship status households.The response is muted for Hispanic households residing in sanctuary cities.Our results are most consistent with network effects that perpetuate fear rather than lack of benefit information, measurement error, or stigma.

Source: National Bureau of Economic Research

DOI: 10.3386/w24731

Authors: Marcella Alsan, Crystal Yang

Institutions: National Bureau of Economic Research, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research