Labor market competition and individual preferences over immigration policy

This paper uses three years of individual-level data to analyze the determi nants of individual preferences over immigration policy in the United State s. We have two main empirical results. First, less-skilled workers are sign ificantly more likely to prefer limiting immigrant inflows into the United States. Our finding suggests that, over the time horizons that are relevant to individuals when evaluating immigration policy, individuals think that the U.S, economy absorbs immigrant inflows at least partly by changing wage s. Second, we find no evidence that the relationship between skills and imm igration opinions is stronger in high-immigration communities.