Work

The effect of recent technological change on US immigration policy

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Does technological change shape immigration policy in the United States? I argue that if technological change tilts the composition of workers towards manual employment, this leads to a more restrictive immigration policy. A theoretical model and empirical evidence analyzing voting on immigration bills in the House of Representatives supports this. Policy makers representing districts exposed to manual-biased technological change are more likely to support restricting low-skill immigration. Results are confirmed using specific automation technologies: IT capital and industrial robot adoption. The analysis is completed by (i) additional results on trade policy and political polarization, (ii) further stylized evidence on the mechanism.

Source: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2024.106759

Author: Björn Brey

Institution: Norwegian School of Economics

Language: English

Topic: Migration and Labor Dynamics

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,770