Do Interest Groups Affect U.S. Immigration Policy

摘要: While anecdotal evidence suggests that interest groups play a key role in shaping immigration policy, there is no systematic empirical analysis of this issue. In paper, we construct an industry-level dataset for the United States, by combining information on number temporary work visas with data lobbying activity associated immigration. We find robust both pro- and anti-immigration statistically significant economically relevant migration across sectors. Barriers to are lower sectors which business incur larger lobby expenditures higher where labor unions more important.