RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Drug Violence and Migration Flows: Lessons from the Mexican Drug War
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 0215-6948R4
DO 10.3368/jhr.53.3.0215-6948R4
A1 Orozco-Aleman, Sandra
A1 Gonzalez-Lozano, Heriberto
YR 2017
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2017/04/18/jhr.53.3.0215-6948R4.abstract
AB We examine the effect of the increase in violence that Mexico experienced after launching an aggressive campaign against drug-trafficking organizations on immigration into the U.S. We instrument for violence using electoral cycles, and consider two channels through which violence impacts migration: local and transit violence. Violence at the municipality of residence increased migration. Conversely, violence on the route to the U.S. deterred individuals from migrating. Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that between 2007 and 2012, local and transit violence had an overall positive effect on migration. Violence was responsible for a 1.53 percentage point increase in the migration rate.