Drug Violence and Migration Flows: Lessons from the Mexican Drug War

Sandra Orozco-Aleman and Heriberto Gonzalez-Lozano

Journal of Human Resources, 2018, vol. 53, issue 3, 717-749

Abstract: 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 United States. 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 United States 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.

JEL-codes: F22 J61 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.53.3.0215-6948R4
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:53:y:2018:i:3:p:717-749

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