Perceived Local Population Dynamics and Immigration Policy Views

Abstract

How do perceptions of local immigrant populations influence immigration policy views? Building on findings that Americans may not accurately perceive population dynamics, we argue that objective measures do not fully capture the effects of local context on public opinion. Our research uses novel subjective experimental reminders about current levels of and recent changes in local immigrant populations to explore how these perceptions impact immigration policy views. In a survey experiment, we asked 2,400 Americans to consider current levels of or recent changes in their local immigrant population. Asking subjects to consider current levels of local immigrant populations modestly increases support for pro-immigrant policies, with particularly strong effects among non-White and Republicans. These effects may be driven by positive perceptions of immigrants and have implications for understanding the role of local community frames in shaping public opinion about immigration, particularly for groups who do not typically support permissive immigration policies.

Immigration is Difficult?! Informing Voters About Immigration Policy Fosters Pro-immigration Views

“…Future research could explore the relative effect strength of various treatment variations and possible subgroup effects in larger representative samples in the United States or other countries. There is suggestive evidence that informational treatments may have differing effects among conservatives, and other demographic subgroups [34]. There is also evidence that, depending on the policy environment itself, voters in some countries and contexts can be systematically more knowledgeable about immigration and its benefits than others [35,36].…”