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Foreign aid, illegal immigration, and host country welfare

Author

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  • Subhayu Bandyopadhyay
  • Dustin Chambers
  • Jonathan Munemo

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effect of foreign aid on illegal immigration and host country welfare using a general equilibrium model. We show that foreign aid may worsen the recipient nation?s terms of trade. Furthermore, it may also raise illegal immigration, if the terms of trade effect on immigration flows dominates the other effects identified in our analysis. Empirical analysis of the effect of foreign aid on illegal immigration to the United States broadly supports the predictions of our theoretical model. Foreign aid worsens the recipient?s terms of trade. While the terms of trade effect tends to reduce illegal immigration, countervailing effects are found to dominate. The paper contributes to the related literature by establishing that there are unintended consequences of foreign aid, and, while some of them are reminiscent of the classical transfer problem, others are new and arise due to endogenous illegal immigration flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Subhayu Bandyopadhyay & Dustin Chambers & Jonathan Munemo, 2012. "Foreign aid, illegal immigration, and host country welfare," Working Papers 2012-007, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlwp:2012-007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Antonio Spilimbergo & Gordon H. Hanson, 1999. "Illegal Immigration, Border Enforcement, and Relative Wages: Evidence from Apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico Border," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(5), pages 1337-1357, December.
    2. Myers, Gordon M. & Papageorgiou, Yorgos Y., 2000. "Immigration control and the welfare state," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 183-207, February.
    3. Brecher, Richard A. & Bhagwati, Jagdish N., 1982. "Immiserizing transfers from abroad," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(3-4), pages 353-364, November.
    4. Subhayu Bandyopadhyay, 2006. "Illegal Immigration and Second‐best Import Tariffs," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(1), pages 93-103, February.
    5. Theodore Palivos, 2009. "Welfare effects of illegal immigration," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 22(1), pages 131-144, January.
    6. Ethier, Wilfred J, 1986. "Illegal Immigration," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 258-262, May.
    7. Faini, Riccardo & Venturini, Alessandra, 1993. "Trade, aid and migrations: Some basic policy issues," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(2-3), pages 435-442, April.
    8. Gaytan-Fregoso, Helena & Lahiri, Sajal, 2000. "Foreign aid and illegal immigration," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 515-527, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Slobodan Djajić & Michael S. Michael, 2014. "Controlling Illegal Immigration: On the Scope for Cooperation with a Transit Country," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 808-824, September.
    2. Slobodan Djajic & Michael S. Michael, 2016. "Illegal Immigration, Foreign Aid, and the Transit Countries," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 62(3), pages 572-593.

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    Keywords

    Foreign aid program; Immigrants; Public welfare;
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