Full Citation

Title: E-Verify mandates and unauthorized immigrants' health insurance coverage

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2021

ISBN:

ISSN: 2325-8012

DOI: 10.1002/SOEJ.12535

NSFID:

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PMID:

Abstract: Over the last two decades, state and local governments have adopted policies requiring employers to electronically verify (E-Verify) the work eligibility of their new hires to disrupt unauthorized immigrants' access to the formal labor market. These E-Verify mandates previously enjoyed bipartisan support and are likely to be included in comprehensive immigration reform discussions between the Biden administration and GOP. I show in this paper that state E-Verify mandates are associated with a 5-percentage point reduction in the probability that likely unauthorized immigrants are employed and a 2-percentage point reduction in the probability that they have employer-sponsored insurance. However, these changes are limited to one period after implementation. In all remaining periods, the relationships are not distinguishable from zero. I show that this pattern can be explained by selective outmigration of otherwise unemployed and uninsured likely unauthorized immigrants. By preventing unauthorized immigrants from moving to a more favorable policy environment, a nationwide E-Verify mandate would likely further limit unauthorized immigrants' access to private health insurance.

Url: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/soej.12535

Url: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/soej.12535

Url: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/soej.12535

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Authors: Churchill, Brandyn

Periodical (Full): Southern Economic Journal

Issue: 2

Volume: 88

Pages: 487-526

Data Collections: IPUMS CPS

Topics: Health, Migration and Immigration

Countries: