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Title: What drives the legalization of immigrants? Evidence from IRCA

Author(s): Alessandra Casarico, Giovanni Facchini and Tommaso Frattini

Publication Date: March 2018

Keyword(s): amnesties, migration policy and Roll Call Votes

Programme Area(s): International Trade and Regional Economics and Labour Economics

Abstract: We develop a model to understand the trade-offs faced by an elected representative in supporting an amnesty when a restrictive immigration policy is in place. We show that an amnesty is more desirable the more restricted are the occupational opportunities of undocumented immigrants and the smaller is the fiscal leakage to undocumented immigrants via the welfare state. Empirical evidence based on the voting behaviour of U.S. Congressmen on the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 provides strong support for the predictions of our theoretical model.

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Bibliographic Reference

Casarico, A, Facchini, G and Frattini, T. 2018. 'What drives the legalization of immigrants? Evidence from IRCA'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=12790