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  5. Immigration, Networks, and Integration: Evidence from the U.S. and Europe
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Immigration, Networks, and Integration: Evidence from the U.S. and Europe

Paper Session

Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (PST)

Hilton San Francisco Union Square, Imperial B
Hosted By: American Economic Association
  • Chair: Katherine Eriksson, University of California-Davis

The Making of an American: Public Kindergartens and the Assimilation of Immigrant Children

Katherine Eriksson
,
University of California-Davis
Francesco Cinnirella
,
University of Bergamo
Philipp Ager
,
University of Mannheim
Viktor Malein
,
Lund University

Abstract

This paper provides new insights on the role of public kindergartens in the assimilation of immigrant children. We exploit the roll-out of public kindergartens towards the end of the 19th century in the United States. Specifically, we link first- and second-generation male immigrant children in the 1900/1910 Census with adults in the 1930/1940 Census. We find that children exposed to public kindergartens at age 5-6 completed more years of schooling. As adults they are less likely to marry a foreign-born spouse and they tend to marry a spouse with higher levels of education. These effects are the largest for children whose parents came from Southern, Central and Eastern Europe who were considered to be the most culturally distant from the United States at that time. We do not find any effect on holding a patriotic job, suggesting that assimilation efforts of kindergartens were mostly working through economic incentives.

Political Polarization, Migrant Networks, and Selection

Maria Esther Caballero
,
American University
Giuseppe Ippedico
,
University of Nottingham
Giovanni Peri
,
University of California-Davis

Abstract

In this paper, we study how changes in anti-immigrant sentiment affected the inflow of Mexican-born migrants in the period after the U.S. presidential election of 2016. We use and validate the matricula consular data to construct proxies for the 2008-2019 yearly inflows of Mexican-born individuals from each Mexican municipio to each U.S. county and shocks to the local strength of the pro-Trump republican party vote to measure changes in anti-immigrant sentiment. Then, we establish whether the increase in the pro-Trump republican vote of 2016 affected the inflow of Mexican-born migrants to the U.S., using a bilateral panel of flows. Finally, we analyze whether the intensity of the pro-Trump vote diverted Mexican-born migrants from one origin to new or alternative destination counties and if this effect contributed to changes in the evolution of the migrant network from these Mexican municipalities.

Hometown Conflict and Refugees’ Integration Efforts

Cevat Giray Aksoy
,
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and King's College London
Gaurav Khanna
,
University of California-San Diego
Victoria Marino
,
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Semih Tumen
,
Amazon, TED University, and IZA

Abstract

How does violence in origin areas affect the educational outcomes of refugees in their destinations? Using administrative panel data, we find that heightened violence in the hometowns of Syrian students leads to improvements in their school outcomes in Türkiye. Turkish language and Math scores of refugee students improve, with larger impacts on Turkish scores. There is no impact on naturalized Syrian students. We observe positive spillovers on Turkish students. These findings suggest ongoing violence in refugee-origin areas reduces the prospect of returning home and induces students to increase their integration effort by investing in education.

Does the “Melting Pot” Still Melt? Internet and Immigrants’ Integration

Alexander Yarkin
,
Brown University and Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research

Abstract

The global spread of the Internet and the rising salience of immigration are two of the biggest trends of the last decades. And yet, the effects of new digital technologies on immigrants - their social integration, spatial segregation, and economic outcomes - remain unknown. This paper addresses this gap: it shows how home-country Internet expansion affects immigrants' socio-economic integration in the US. Using DID and event-study methods, I find that home-country Internet expansion lowers immigrants' linguistic proficiency, naturalization rates, and economic integration. The effect is driven by younger and less educated immigrants. However, home-country Internet also decreases spatial and occupational segregation, and increases subjective well-being of immigrants. The time use data suggests that the Internet changing immigrants' networking is part of the story. I also show the role of return intentions and Facebook usage, among other factors. These findings align with a Roy model of migration, augmented with a choice between host- vs. home-country ties. Overall, this paper shows how digital technologies transform the immigration, diversity, and social cohesion nexus.

Discussant(s)
Santiago Pérez
,
University of California-Davis
Reem Zaiour
,
Vanderbilt University
José R. Bucheli
,
University of Texas-El Paso
JEL Classifications
  • J6 - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
  • P0 - General