Working Paper

Did 9/11 worsen the job prospects of Hispanic immigrants?

Abstract: This paper examines whether the economic aftermath of 9/11 had an adverse impact on the labor market outcomes of male immigrants from Latin America, who compose the bulk of undocumented foreign-born workers in the U.S. The crackdown on use of fraudulent Social Security numbers, increased requirements for government-issued identification, and other changes associated with greater focus on national security likely lowered the demand for foreign-born workers - particularly the undocumented - relative to natives after 9/11. The relative decline in demand for such workers could have negatively affected employment, hours worked, and earnings. Using Current Population Survey data and a difference-in-difference estimation technique, we find a negative impact after 9/11 on earnings and hours worked among recent male Hispanic immigrants vis--vis natives and a negative effect on employment, hours worked, and earnings vis--vis Hispanic immigrants who had been in the U.S. longer.

Keywords: National security; Identification cards - Forgeries; Immigrants;

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Part of Series: Working Papers

Publication Date: 2005

Number: 0508

Note: Published as: Orrenius, Pia M. and Madeline Zavodny (2009), "The Effects of Tougher Enforcement on the Job Prospects of Recent Latin American Immigrants," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 28 (2): 239-257.