State-level immigration legislation and social life:the impact of the “show me your papers” laws

Objective: From 2010 to 2011, several states passed legislation aimed at identifying and deporting undocumented immigrants. Despite partial or full enjoinment at various times, there are reasons to believe that the passage of these laws could have had a negative impact on social life for immigrants and Hispanics. This study attempts to quantify the impact of these restrictive laws on time spent socializing, as reported in the American Time Use Survey. Method: This study uses a natural experiment and difference in differences design. Results: I find that Hispanics in states that passed these laws spent less time socializing after their passage, though only in counties with relatively low Hispanic populations around the time of passage. Conclusion: Overall, this study provides evidence of a negative impact of extreme immigration policy on social life in the Hispanic community.