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Abstract
This paper examines the effects of state and local immigration enforcement efforts
on the U.S. Farming sector. We use variation in enforcement efforts generated by the
timing of adoption of 287(g) programs by state and county law enforcement agencies
(allowing local officers to be trained to perform several immigration officer duties).
Nearly 70 jurisdictions adopted such measures between 2002 and 2011. Difference in
Differences (DD) models are estimated using individual level data from the 2004-2010
waves of the American Community Survey (ACS) and county level data from the 1997,
2002 and 2007 waves of the U.S. Census of Agriculture. We found robust evidence
that immigration enforcement efforts by county authorities have reduced immigrant
presence. We also found evidence that wages of farm workers, general patterns of labor
use in farms and farm profitability may have been affected in a manner consistent
with labor shortages. There is no clear evidence that state efforts have lead to notable
effects.