Legal Status and Wage Disparities for Mexican Immigrants

Abstract

This paper employs a unique method of imputing the legal status of Mexican immigrants in the 1996-1999 and 2001-2003 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation to provide new evidence of the role of legal authorization in the U.S. on workers’ wages. Using growth curve techniques, we estimate wage trajectories for four groups: documented Mexican immigrants, undocumented Mexican immigrants, U.S-born Mexican Americans, and native non-Latino whites. Our estimates reveal a 17 percent wage disparity between documented and undocumented Mexican immigrant men, and a 9 percent documented-undocumented wage disparity for Mexican immigrant women. We also find that in comparison to authorized Mexicans, undocumented Mexican immigrants have lower returns to human capital and slower wage growth.

The Effects of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on the Educational Outcomes of Undocumented Students

“…On the other hand, there are also reasons to believe that DACA may increase college dropout rates for undocumented students. Nearly 70% of families headed by undocumented parents subsist at or near the poverty line (Amuedo-Dorantes and Antman 2016; Gonzales, Terriquez and Ruszczyk 2014) and are typically employed in low-wage, unstable jobs that offer no benefits like health insurance, sick leave or over-time pay (Donato et al 2008;Hall, Greenman and Farkas 2010). Thus, families headed by undocumented parents commonly rely on all working-age members to contribute to family income.…”

Hurdles or walls? Nativity, citizenship, legal status and Latino homeownership in Los Angeles

“…Extensive research indicates that lacking legal status disadvantages unauthorized Latino immigrants in accessing employment-based benefits such as health insurance, post-baccalaureate educational opportunities, housing affordability, and other outcomes (e.g., Chavez, 1996;Marcelli, 2004;Goldman et al, 2005;Abrego, 2006;Hall et al, 2010;McConnell, 2013). Studies further document that unauthorized immigrants earn lower incomes than authorized immigrants (e.g., Rivera-Batiz, 1999;Bratsberg et al, 2002;Aguilera and Massey, 2003;Hall et al, 2010;Flippen, 2012).…”

“…Studies further document that unauthorized immigrants earn lower incomes than authorized immigrants (e.g., Rivera-Batiz, 1999;Bratsberg et al, 2002;Aguilera and Massey, 2003;Hall et al, 2010;Flippen, 2012). In fact, a review of the literature reveals that unauthorized immigrants, especially from Latin America, experience little upward mobility despite decades of U.S. residence and other indicators that typically suggest immigrant incorporation (Donato and Armenta, 2011).…”

Introduction to a Special Issue on the Impact of Immigrant Legalization Initiatives: International Perspectives on Immigration and the World of Work

“…Studies have also detailed how unauthorized status inhibits workers' ability to file claims against their employers when faced with workplace rights abuses (Gleeson 2010(Gleeson , 2012. Finally, Hall, Greenman, and Farkas (2011) found that unauthorized workers do not reap the same rewards for schooling and their wages grow more slowly in comparison to their authorized counterparts.…”