Illegal Immigration, State Law, and Deterrence

Abstract

Can state and federal policies deter undocumented workers from entering the U.S.? In Working Paper 1604, PERC's Rex Grey Professor Mark Hoekstra, and Sandra Orozco-Aleman, address this timely and critical immigration policy question. Focusing on Arizona SB 1070, arguably the most restrictive and controversial immigration bill ever passed by a state, the authors examine whether the law deterred unauthorized entry into Arizona. They find the passage and announcement of SB 1070 significantly reduced the flow of undocumented workers into Arizona (relative to other states) from Mexico, suggesting that undocumented workers are responsive to changes in state immigration policy.