Schooling and Labor Market Effects of Temporary Authorization: Evidence from DACA

45 Pages Posted: 22 Aug 2016

See all articles by Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes

Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes

San Diego State University - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Francisca Antman

University of Colorado at Boulder - Department of Economics

Abstract

This paper explores the labor market and schooling effects of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative, which provides work authorization to eligible immigrants along with a temporary reprieve from deportation. The analysis relies on a difference-in-differences approach that exploits the discontinuity in program rules to compare eligible individuals to ineligible, likely undocumented immigrants before and after the program went into effect. To address potential endogeneity concerns, we focus on youths that likely met DACA's schooling requirement when the program was announced. We find that DACA reduced the probability of school enrollment of eligible higher-educated individuals, as well as some evidence that it increased the employment likelihood of men, in particular. Together, these findings suggest that a lack of authorization may lead individuals to enroll in school when working is not a viable option. Thus, once employment restrictions are relaxed and the opportunity costs of higher-education rise, eligible individuals may reduce investments in schooling.

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, work authorization

JEL Classification: J15, J61, J2, J3

Suggested Citation

Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina and Antman, Francisca, Schooling and Labor Market Effects of Temporary Authorization: Evidence from DACA. IZA Discussion Paper No. 10144, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2826978 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2826978

Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes (Contact Author)

San Diego State University - Department of Economics ( email )

5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182
United States
619-594-1663 (Phone)
619-594-5062 (Fax)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Francisca Antman

University of Colorado at Boulder - Department of Economics ( email )

Campus Box 256
Boulder, CO 80309
United States

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