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Immigration Enforcement and Food Safety: Evidence from US Meat and Poultry Processing Plants

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  • Wagle, Sampada
  • Katarej, Bhagyashree

Abstract

Immigrant labor constitutes a substantial portion of the US meat and poultry processing workforce. However, the downstream effects of deportations targeting these immigrants on their food safety practices remain largely unexamined. We provide novel empirical evidence that increased deportations of undocumented immigrants are associated with a rise in food safety inspection violations, suggestive of reduced food safety quality at these establishments. We also find evidence that wages and labor market dynamics adjust in ways consistent with labor shortages following deportations, marked by increases in wages, hires, separations, and employment, along with a modest reduction in turnover. By examining the potential downstream food safety risks associated with deportations, this research contributes to the broader policy discussion about the spillover effects of immigration enforcement on food safety and consumer welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Wagle, Sampada & Katarej, Bhagyashree, 2025. "Immigration Enforcement and Food Safety: Evidence from US Meat and Poultry Processing Plants," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 360898, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea25:360898
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.360898
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    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/360898/files/75239_95999_105300_AAEA_June18.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Richards, Timothy J., "undated". "Immigration Reform and Farm Labor Markets," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274165, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Stephens-Davidowitz, Seth, 2014. "The cost of racial animus on a black candidate: Evidence using Google search data," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 26-40.
    3. Timothy J Richards, 2018. "Immigration Reform and Farm Labor Markets," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(4), pages 1050-1071.
    4. Hacker, Karen & Chu, Jocelyn & Leung, Carolyn & Marra, Robert & Pirie, Alex & Brahimi, Mohamed & English, Margaret & Beckmann, Joshua & Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores & Marlin, Robert P., 2011. "The impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigrant health: Perceptions of immigrants in Everett, Massachusetts, USA," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(4), pages 586-594, August.
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