Political Economy, Sectoral Shocks, and Border Enforcement

Gordon Hanson and Antonio Splimbergo
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Antonio Spilimbergo

No 7315, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: In this paper, we examine the correlation between sectoral shocks and border enforcement in the United States. Enforcement of national borders is the main policy instrument the U.S. government uses to combat illegal immigration. The motivation for the exercise is to see whether border enforcement falls following positive shocks to sectors that are intensive in the use of undocumented labor, as would be consistent with political economy models of how enforcement policy against illegal immigration is determined. The main finding is that border enforcement is negatively correlated with lagged relative price changes in the apparel, fruits and vegetables, and slaughtered livestock industries and with housing starts in the western United States. This suggests that authorities relax border enforcement when the demand for undocumented workers is high.

JEL-codes: F2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1999-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-pbe, nep-pol and nep-pub
Note: ITI
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

Published as Gordon H. Hanson & Antonio Spilimbergo, 2001. "Political economy, sectoral shocks, and border enforcement," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 34(3), pages 612-638, August.

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Related works:
Journal Article: Political economy, sectoral shocks, and border enforcement (2001)
Journal Article: Political economy, sectoral shocks, and border enforcement (2001)
Working Paper: Political Economy, Sectoral Shocks, and Border Enforcement (1999)
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