Do Human Capital Decisions Respond to the Returns to Education? Evidence from DACA

A-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
Year: 2020
Volume: 12
Issue: 1
Pages: 293-324

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper studies human capital responses to the availability of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides temporary work authorization and deferral from deportation for undocumented, high-school-educated youth. We use a sample of young adults that migrated to the United States as children to implement a difference-in-difference design that compares noncitizen immigrants ("eligible") to citizen immigrants ("ineligible") over time. We find that DACA significantly increased high school attendance and high school graduation rates, reducing the citizen-noncitizen gap in graduation by 40 percent. We also find positive, though imprecise, impacts on college attendance.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejpol:v:12:y:2020:i:1:p:293-324
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25