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Undocumented youth in limbo: the impact of America’s immigration enforcement policy on juvenile deportations

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  • Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes

    (San Diego State University)

  • Thitima Puttitanun

    (Kasetsart University)

Abstract

The surge in unaccompanied minor crossings between 2011 and 2014 led to an overwhelming increase in the number of juvenile deportation proceedings, which coincided with a peak in intensified immigration enforcement at the state and local levels. Using data on juvenile deportation proceedings, we examine how tougher immigration enforcement might have influenced judicial rulings on these cases and, ultimately, these youths’ ability to stay in the country. We find that the average increase in immigration enforcement over that period is associated with a 15% reduction in the share of juvenile cases ending with permission to stay. The result underscores the importance of the immigration policy context in which courts operate on their rulings, even if immigration law is within the jurisdiction of the Federal government. Given the gravity of the circumstances these children are escaping, further attention to how the piecemeal approach to immigration enforcement might impact the protection of their humanitarian rights is warranted.

Suggested Citation

  • Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Thitima Puttitanun, 2018. "Undocumented youth in limbo: the impact of America’s immigration enforcement policy on juvenile deportations," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 31(2), pages 597-626, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:31:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s00148-017-0666-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-017-0666-8
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    1. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Susan Pozo, 2014. "On the Intended and Unintended Consequences of Enhanced U.S. Border and Interior Immigration Enforcement: Evidence From Mexican Deportees," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(6), pages 2255-2279, December.
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    3. Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Puttitanun, Thitima & Martinez-Donate, Ana, 2013. "How Do Tougher Immigration Measures Impact Unauthorized Immigrants?," IZA Discussion Papers 7134, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Catalina Amuedo‐Dorantes & Fernando Lozano, 2015. "On The Effectiveness Of Sb1070 In Arizona," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 53(1), pages 335-351, January.
    5. Genti Kostandini & Elton Mykerezi & Cesar Escalante, 2014. "The Impact of Immigration Enforcement on the U.S. Farming Sector," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 96(1), pages 172-192.
    6. Michael Good, 2013. "Do immigrant outflows lead to native inflows? An empirical analysis of the migratory responses to US state immigration legislation," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(30), pages 4275-4297, October.
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    8. Mai Thi Nguyen & Hannah Gill, 2016. "Interior immigration enforcement: The impacts of expanding local law enforcement authority," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(2), pages 302-323, February.
    9. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Susan Pozo & Thitima Puttitanun, 2015. "Immigration Enforcement, Parent–Child Separations, and Intent to Remigrate by Central American Deportees," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(6), pages 1825-1851, December.
    10. Landes, William M & Posner, Richard A, 1975. "The Independent Judiciary in an Interest-Group Perspective," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 18(3), pages 875-901, December.
    11. F. Andrew Hanssen, 2004. "Is There a Politically Optimal Level of Judicial Independence?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 712-729, June.
    12. Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Pozo, Susan, 2014. "On the Intended and Unintended Consequences of Enhanced Border and Interior Immigration Enforcement: Evidence from Deportees," IZA Discussion Papers 8458, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Claire S. H. Lim, 2015. "Media Influence on Courts: Evidence from Civil Case Adjudication," American Law and Economics Review, American Law and Economics Association, vol. 17(1), pages 87-126.
    14. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Thitima Puttitanun & Ana Martinez-Donate, 2013. "How Do Tougher Immigration Measures Affect Unauthorized Immigrants?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(3), pages 1067-1091, June.
    15. Hopkins, Daniel J., 2010. "Politicized Places: Explaining Where and When Immigrants Provoke Local Opposition," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 104(1), pages 40-60, February.
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    2. Shrestha, Samyam, 2024. "Seasonal Labor Shortage and the Production and Trade of Labor-Intensive Goods: Evidence from U.S. Agriculture," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 343996, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Interior immigration enforcement; Unaccompanied minors; Juvenile deportation proceedings; United States;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • K37 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Immigration Law
    • Z18 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Public Policy

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