Opening the Door: Immigrant Legalization and Family Reunification in the United States

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Cascio, Elizabeth; Lewis, Ethan
• 署名单位: Dartmouth College; Dartmouth College
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF LABOR ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0734-306X
• DOI: 10.1086/730165
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: legal status; control act; REFORM; IMPACT; wages; sponsorship; irca; AGE

摘要

Does opening the door to US citizenship for unauthorized immigrants cause out-of-control chain migration? We address this question using variation from the legalization programs of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). Exploiting IRCA's introduction and differences across metropolitan areas in program intensity, we estimate that each IRCA-legalized Mexican was responsible for the subsequent immigration and legal admission of one relative, in total, through 2019. Most sponsored relatives were immediate family, and the adult sponsorship rate is inconsistent with out-of-control chain migration. Estimates using cross-country variation are substantively similar and suggest limited demand for reunification of extended families.