Taken by Storm: Hurricanes, Migrant Networks, and U.S. Immigration

59 Pages Posted: 6 Sep 2017 Last revised: 31 May 2023

See all articles by Parag Mahajan

Parag Mahajan

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Dean Yang

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Economics

Date Written: August 2017

Abstract

How readily do potential migrants respond to increased returns to migration? Even if origin areas become less attractive vis-à-vis migration destinations, fixed costs can prevent increased migration. We examine migration responses to hurricanes, which reduce the attractiveness of origin locations. Restricted-access U.S. Census data allows precise migration measures and analysis of more migrant-origin countries. Hurricanes increase U.S. immigration, with the effect increasing in the size of prior migrant stocks. Large migrant networks reduce fixed costs by facilitating legal immigration from hurricane-affected source countries. Hurricane-induced immigration can be fully accounted for by new legal permanent residents (“green card” holders).

Suggested Citation

Mahajan, Parag and Yang, Dean and Yang, Dean, Taken by Storm: Hurricanes, Migrant Networks, and U.S. Immigration (August 2017). NBER Working Paper No. w23756, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3031727

Parag Mahajan (Contact Author)

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ( email )

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Dean Yang

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.umich.edu/~deanyang/

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Economics

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United States

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