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  5. Immigration Policy, Border Crossing, and Integration
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Immigration Policy, Border Crossing, and Integration

Paper Session

Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM (EST)

Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Room 404
Hosted By: American Society of Hispanic Economists
  • Chair: Zadia Feliciano, City University of New York-Queens College

The Impact of Immigration Policies on Reentry Rates Among Deportees

Heriberto Gonzalez-Lozano
,
Mississippi State University
Sandra Orozco-Aleman
,
Mississippi State University
Eunsik Chang
,
Mississippi State University

Abstract

While previous research has shown that interior immigration enforcement policies such as E-Verify mandates, omnibus laws, and 287(g) agreements can reduce the presence of undocumented immigrants, an important and unresolved question remains: Do these policies deter previously deported individuals from reentering the U.S., and are the deterrent effects selective, impacting immigrants with specific characteristics more than others?
Our findings suggest that interior enforcement policies deter deported individuals from reentering. An increase in the Interior Enforcement Index – an index that starts at zero and increases by one unit if a state has signed at least an omnibus immigration law, a 287(g) agreement, or if E-Verify was enforced during the year- leads to a 9.7 percent decrease in reentry for all deportees and an 8.48 percent decrease for male deportees. Notably, we observed evidence of selective deterrence; these policies result in a more significant reduction in reentry rates among deportees who have been convicted of serious offenses, such as DUIs and other crimes. This finding indicates that immigration policies have strengthened the effectiveness of deportation measures, particularly for individuals whose deportation is a priority for immigration authorities.

The Role of Employment Authorization in Asylum Seekers Integration

Jose Bucheli
,
University of Texas at El Paso
Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes
,
University of California-Merced

Abstract

The increasing arrival of asylum seekers to the United States has raised concerns about their economic integration and potential fiscal impact. A key factor in this process is employment authorization, which facilitates asylum seekers’ entry into the workforce. While most asylum applicants are eligible for work authorization, they must apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), and access to these permits varies by country of origin, entry cohort, and location. Despite the growing number of applicants, little is known about how EAD processing affects economic integration.
This study examines EAD applications from 2012 to 2021 to analyze trends in asylum seekers’ access to work permits and assess their impact on employment, earnings, and housing affordability. We use USCIS data on asylum seekers’ EAD approval rates and processing times, which we merge with American Community Survey (ACS) data to track their economic outcomes. To address the potential endogeneity of EAD approval rates and local economic conditions, we employ instrumental variable methods, using granular EAD processing times as an instrument. The quasi-random assignment of applications to USCIS service centers with different processing speeds strengthens the identification strategy.
The findings will offer new insights into how work permit access influences asylum seekers’ labor market and housing outcomes and assess potential spillover effects on other demographic groups, such as naturalized immigrants and natives. This research contributes to policy discussions on improving the efficiency and fairness of the asylum system and the broader implications of asylee integration.

International Commuters: Border Crossings and Economic Implications of a Border Culture

Maria Encerrado-Licerio
,
St. Mary's University
Belinda Roman
,
St. Mary's University

Abstract

When discussing borders, it is essential that we see beyond the geographical border or the political line. We must consider the people inhabit those regions, and more than often interact with each other, share sources and have a common history. This research analyzes specifically the complex economic interdependencies that result from the daily crossings of individuals at the U.S.- México border between Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and El Paso, Texas. We present an examination of the intertwined threads of economic life that arise from this constant daily migration and the exchange of goods and services and accompany it. The realities of daily border crossing, and the sacrifices and benefits such as (long waiting times, or enjoying a U.S. dollars check and spend it in pesos) made by those who engage in daily life across this border invite us to think about the impact that these micro-dynamics have on people’s lives and highlight their economic motivation and the consequences of a constant flow of people between two international cities that are next to each other. Data for this research is gathered from surveys of individuals who cross for work, school, healthcare, benefits, shopping, and/or leisure.

Jumpstarting Integration: How the Age at Arrival of Hispanic and Asian Immigrants Impacts Ethnic Identification for Themselves and for Their U.S.-born Children

Stephen Trejo
,
University of Texas at Austin
Brian Duncan
,
University of Colorado-Denver

Abstract

Many U.S.-born descendants of immigrants do not identify with their ancestral ethnicity in response to the Hispanic origin and race questions asked in the Census and other government surveys. Analyzing microdata from the 2000 Census and the 2001-2023 American Community Surveys, we show that the age at arrival of Hispanic and Asian immigrants exerts an important influence on ethnic identification not only for these immigrants themselves but also for their U.S.-born children. Among immigrants who arrived as children, the rate of ethnic attrition—i.e., not identifying as Hispanic or Asian—is substantially higher for those who entered the United States at a younger age. Moreover, the children of these immigrants exhibit a similar pattern: greater ethnic attrition among children whose parents moved to the United States at a younger age. We unpack the relative importance of several key mechanisms—parental English proficiency, parental education, family structure, intermarriage, and geographic location—through which the age at arrival of immigrant parents influences the ethnic identification of their children. Decompositions suggest that increased intermarriage across racial/ethnic lines for parents who immigrated at a younger age is the primary mechanism through which the age at arrival of immigrant parents affects the ethnic identification of their children. Prior research demonstrates that arriving at an early age hastens and furthers the integration of immigrants. We show here that this pattern also holds for ethnic identification and that the resulting differences in ethnic attrition among first-generation immigrants are transmitted to their second-generation children.

Discussant(s)
Enrique Lopezlira
,
University of California-Berkeley
Alfonso Flores-Lagunes
,
W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
Mónica García-Pérez
,
Fayetteville State University
Francisca Antman
,
University of Colorado-Boulder
JEL Classifications
  • J1 - Demographic Economics
  • J6 - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers