IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/iza/izadps/dp11078.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Effects of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on the Educational Outcomes of Undocumented Students

Author

Listed:
  • Hsin, Amy

    (Queens College, CUNY)

  • Ortega, Francesc

    (Queens College, CUNY)

Abstract

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is the first large-scale immigration reform to affect undocumented immigrants in the United States in decades and offers eligible undocumented youth temporary relief from deportation and renewable work permits. While DACA has improved the economic conditions and mental health of undocumented immigrants, we do not know how DACA improves the social mobility of undocumented immigrants through its effect on educational attainment. This paper uses administrative data on students attending a large public university to estimate the effect of DACA on undocumented students' educational outcomes. The data are unique because they accurately identify students' legal status, account for individual heterogeneity, and allow separate analysis of students attending community colleges versus baccalaureate-granting, 4-year colleges. Results from difference-in-difference estimates demonstrate that as a temporary work-permit program, DACA incentivizes work over educational investments but that the effect of DACA on educational investments depends on how easily colleges accommodate working students. At 4-year colleges, DACA induces undocumented students to make binary choices between attending school on a full-time basis or dropping out of school to work. At community colleges, undocumented students have the flexibility to simply reduce course work to accommodate increased work hours. Overall, the results suggest that the precarious and temporary nature of DACA creates barriers to educational investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Hsin, Amy & Ortega, Francesc, 2017. "The Effects of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on the Educational Outcomes of Undocumented Students," IZA Discussion Papers 11078, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11078
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://docs.iza.org/dp11078.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pia M. Orrenius & Madeline Zavodny, 2015. "Does Immigration Affect Whether US Natives Major in Science and Engineering?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(S1), pages 79-108.
    2. Raj Chetty & John N. Friedman & Emmanuel Saez & Nicholas Turner & Danny Yagan, 2017. "Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility," Working Papers 2017-059, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    3. Dylan Conger & Colin C. Chellman, 2013. "Undocumented College Students in the United States: In-State Tuition Not Enough to Ensure Four-Year Degree Completion," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 8(3), pages 364-377, July.
    4. Conger, Dylan & Turner, Lesley J., 2017. "The effect of price shocks on undocumented students' college attainment and completion," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 92-114.
    5. Robert Warren & John Robert Warren, 2013. "Unauthorized Immigration to the United States: Annual Estimates and Components of Change, by State, 1990 to 2010," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 296-329, June.
    6. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Francisca Antman, 2017. "Schooling and labor market effects of temporary authorization: evidence from DACA," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 30(1), pages 339-373, January.
    7. Ortega Francesc & Edwards Ryan & Hsin Amy, 2018. "The Economic Effects of Providing Legal Status to DREAMers," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 9(1), pages 337-370, June.
    8. Ortega Francesc & Edwards Ryan & Hsin Amy, 2018. "The Economic Effects of Providing Legal Status to DREAMers," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, June.
    9. Pia Orrenius & Madeline Zavodny, 2003. "Do amnesty programs reduce undocumented immigration? Evidence from Irca," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 40(3), pages 437-450, August.
    10. Pope, Nolan G., 2016. "The Effects of DACAmentation: The Impact of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Unauthorized Immigrants," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 98-114.
    11. Neeraj Kaushal, 2008. "In-state tuition for the undocumented: Education effects on Mexican young adults," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 771-792.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Richard C. Jones, 2021. "Has DACA promoted work over schooling and professional advancement for qualifying Mexican Dreamers?," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(6), pages 3007-3019, November.
    2. Giuntella, Osea & Lonsky, Jakub & Mazzonna, Fabrizio & Stella, Luca, 2021. "Immigration policy and immigrants’ sleep. Evidence from DACA," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 1-12.
    3. Battaglia, Emily, 2023. "Did DACA Harm US-Born Workers? Temporary Work Visas and Labor Market Competition," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    4. Wang, Jia & Winters, John V. & Yuan, Weici, 2022. "Can legal status help unauthorized immigrants achieve the American dream? Evidence from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    5. Giuntella, Osea & Lonsky, Jakub, 2020. "The effects of DACA on health insurance, access to care, and health outcomes," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    6. Ortega Francesc & Edwards Ryan & Hsin Amy, 2018. "The Economic Effects of Providing Legal Status to DREAMers," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Jimena Villanueva Kiser & Riley Wilson, 2024. "DACA, Mobility Investments, and Economic Outcomes of Immigrants and Natives," Upjohn Working Papers 24-395, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    8. Derek Christopher, 2023. "Seeking sanctuary: Housing undocumented immigrants," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(4), pages 1065-1091, September.
    9. Mónica García-Pérez, 2019. "DACA Recipients and Their Health Insurance Dream: Employment, Schooling, and Health Coverage," Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 77-108, June.
    10. Ortega, Francesc & Hsin, Amy, 2022. "Occupational barriers and the productivity penalty from lack of legal status," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    11. Borjas, George J. & Cassidy, Hugh, 2020. "The Adverse Effect of the COVID-19 Labor Market Shock on Immigrant Employment," IZA Discussion Papers 13277, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Borjas, George J. & Cassidy, Hugh, 2019. "The wage penalty to undocumented immigration," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    13. Gihleb, Rania & Giuntella, Osea & Lonsky, Jakub, 2023. "Dreaming of leaving the nest? Immigration status and the living arrangements of DACAmented," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    14. Tran, Nhan, 2023. "The effects of deferred action for childhood arrivals on labor market outcomes," MPRA Paper 118496, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Yvonne M. Luna & T. Mark Montoya, 2019. "“I Need this Chance to … Help My Family”: A Qualitative Analysis of the Aspirations of DACA Applicants," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-15, September.
    16. Rania Gihleb & Osea Giuntella & Jakub Lonsky, 2022. "Dreaming of Leaving the Nest? Immigration Status and the Living Arrangements of DACAmented," Working Papers 202202, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ortega, Francesc & Hsin, Amy, 2018. "Occupational Barriers and the Labor Market Penalty from Lack of Legal Status," IZA Discussion Papers 11680, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Giuntella, Osea & Lonsky, Jakub, 2020. "The effects of DACA on health insurance, access to care, and health outcomes," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    3. Gihleb, Rania & Giuntella, Osea & Lonsky, Jakub, 2023. "Dreaming of leaving the nest? Immigration status and the living arrangements of DACAmented," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    4. Rania Gihleb & Osea Giuntella & Jakub Lonsky, 2022. "Dreaming of Leaving the Nest? Immigration Status and the Living Arrangements of DACAmented," Working Papers 202202, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.
    5. Giuntella, Osea & Lonsky, Jakub & Mazzonna, Fabrizio & Stella, Luca, 2021. "Immigration policy and immigrants’ sleep. Evidence from DACA," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 1-12.
    6. Borjas, George J. & Cassidy, Hugh, 2019. "The wage penalty to undocumented immigration," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    7. Xintong Liu & Yang Song, 2020. "Comparing the Ethnicity Proxy and Residual Method: Applications to the State-level DREAM Acts and DACA," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 46(1), pages 82-101, January.
    8. Battaglia, Emily, 2023. "Did DACA Harm US-Born Workers? Temporary Work Visas and Labor Market Competition," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    9. Gunadi, Christian, 2020. "Does immigrant legalization affect crime? Evidence from deferred action for childhood arrivals in the United States," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 327-353.
    10. Averett, Susan & Bansak, Cynthia & Condon, Grace & Dziadula, Eva, 2023. "The Gendered Impact of In-State Tuition Policies on Undocumented Immigrants' College Enrollment, Graduation, and Employment," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1359, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    11. Ortega, Francesc & Hsin, Amy, 2022. "Occupational barriers and the productivity penalty from lack of legal status," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    12. Cascio, Elizabeth U. & Lewis, Ethan G., 2019. "Distributing the Green (Cards): Permanent residency and personal income taxes after the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 135-150.
    13. Wang, Jia & Winters, John V. & Yuan, Weici, 2022. "Can legal status help unauthorized immigrants achieve the American dream? Evidence from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    14. Tran, Nhan, 2024. "Parents' legal status and children's health insurance: Evidence from DACA," MPRA Paper 120173, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Dickson, Lisa & Gindling, T. H. & Kitchin, James, 2017. "The Education and Employment Effects of DACA, In-State Tuition and Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants," IZA Discussion Papers 11109, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Comino, Stefano & Mastrobuoni, Giovanni & Nicolò, Antonio, 2016. "Silence of the Innocents: Illegal Immigrants' Underreporting of Crime and their Victimization," Economics Discussion Papers 17806, University of Essex, Department of Economics.
    17. Jimena Villanueva Kiser & Riley Wilson, 2024. "DACA, Mobility Investments, and Economic Outcomes of Immigrants and Natives," Upjohn Working Papers 24-395, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    18. Erin R. Hamilton & Jo Mhairi Hale, 2016. "Changes in the Transnational Family Structures of Mexican Farm Workers in the Era of Border Militarization," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(5), pages 1429-1451, October.
    19. Claudio Deiana & Ludovica Giua & Roberto Nisticò, "undated". "Legalization and Long-Term Outcomes of Immigrant Workers," Development Working Papers 480, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    20. Ortega Francesc & Edwards Ryan & Hsin Amy, 2018. "The Economic Effects of Providing Legal Status to DREAMers," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals; education; undocumented immigration; immigration; natural experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11078. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Holger Hinte (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/izaaade.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.