Data and Code for: The Effect of Immigration Restrictions on Local Labor Markets: Lessons from the 1920s Border Closure

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Ran Abramitzky, Stanford University and NBER; Philipp Ager, University of Mannheim and CEPR; Leah Boustan, Princeton University and NBER; Elior Cohen, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City; Casper W. Hansen, University of Copenhagen

Version:  View help for Version V1

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  Replication_Package 02/03/2022 08:02:PM
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Project Citation: 

Abramitzky, Ran, Ager, Philipp, Boustan, Leah, Cohen, Elior, and Hansen, Casper W. Data and Code for: The Effect of Immigration Restrictions on Local Labor Markets: Lessons from the 1920s Border Closure. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2022. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2022-12-08. https://doi.org/10.3886/E143182V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary 
In the 1920s, the United States substantially reduced immigration
by imposing country-specic entry quotas. We compare local labor
markets differentially exposed to the quotas due to variation in the
national-origin mix of their immigrant population. US-born work-
ers in areas losing immigrants did not benefit relative to workers
in less exposed areas. Instead, in urban areas, European immi-
grants were replaced with internal migrants and immigrants from
Mexico and Canada. By contrast, farmers shifted toward capital-
intensive agriculture and the immigrant-intensive mining industry
contracted. These differences highlight the uneven effects of the
quota system at the local level.
Funding Sources:  View help for Funding Sources Danish Research Council (DFF – 4182-00043)

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms immigration policy; labor mobility; labor markets
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      J61 Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
      N31 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
      N32 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: 1913-
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage United States
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 1900 – 1930
Universe:  View help for Universe Continental United States
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) aggregate data; census/enumeration data

Methodology

Data Source:  View help for Data Source United States Censuses of the Population, 1890-1940
United States Censuses of Agriculture, 1900,1910,1925 and 1930
United States Census of Manufacturers, 1909, 1914, 1925 and 1929
United States Bureau of the Census Mining Industry Records, 1902, 1909, 1919 and 1929
Unit(s) of Observation:  View help for Unit(s) of Observation States Economic Area (SEA)
Geographic Unit:  View help for Geographic Unit State Economic Area (SEA)

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