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Revisiting the Bracero Guest Worker Reforms: A Comment on Clemens, Lewis, and Postel

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  • Robert Kaestner

Abstract

Michael A. Clemens, Ethan G. Lewis, and Hannah M. Postel (2018) report results of an analysis of the effect of ending the bracero guest worker program on domestic, farm workers’ wages and employment. The authors (CLP) conclude that the ending of the bracero program had little effect on wages and employment of domestic farm workers. I review the CLP analysis focusing on the quality of the data and how those data were used to obtain estimates of the effect of the bracero program. My review suggests that significant data problems make it unlikely that the analysis would be able to identify reliably a labor market effect of ending the bracero program. The authors’ conclusion that ending the bracero program had no effect on the farm wages and employment of domestic workers should be regarded as tentative at best.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Kaestner, 2020. "Revisiting the Bracero Guest Worker Reforms: A Comment on Clemens, Lewis, and Postel," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 17(1), pages 1-4–17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ejw:journl:v:17:y:2020:i:1:p:4-17
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. George J. Borjas, 2021. "The Wage Impact Of The Marielitos: A Reappraisal," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foundational Essays in Immigration Economics, chapter 12, pages 375-408, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. David Card, 1990. "The Impact of the Mariel Boatlift on the Miami Labor Market," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 43(2), pages 245-257, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael A. Clemens & Ethan G. Lewis & Hannah M. Postel, 2020. "Comment on Kaestner, "Revisiting the Bracero Guest Worker Reforms"," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 17(1), pages 1-18–27, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    immigration; migrants; migration; labor;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J43 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Agricultural Labor Markets
    • J46 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Informal Labor Market

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    1. Revisiting the Bracero Guest Worker Reforms: A Comment on Clemens, Lewis, and Postel (EJW 2020) in ReplicationWiki

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