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The Birth of Mass Unauthorized Immigration in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Elizabeth U. Cascio
  • Ethan G. Lewis
  • Aryen Shrestha

Abstract

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 imposed, for the first time in US history, annual numerical restrictions on lawful immigration from the Western Hemisphere. This paper introduces and implements a method for estimating highly granular local unauthorized rates in the wake of the surge in Latin American immigration that ensued. Using within-state, cross-county variation in these estimated unauthorized rates for foreign-born Mexican women and multiple comparison groups, we then estimate how maternal legal status affects the health of US-born—and thus US-citizen—children. We find that maternal authorization increases birth weight in the second generation.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth U. Cascio & Ethan G. Lewis & Aryen Shrestha, 2026. "The Birth of Mass Unauthorized Immigration in the United States," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 116, pages 337-343, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:apandp:v:116:y:2026:p:337-343
    DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20261098
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • K37 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Immigration Law

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