Immigration Is Difficult?! Administrative Burden and Immigration Public Opinion

• In Event: Migrants, Public Opinion, and Policy Preferences in Europe and the Americas

Abstract

American voters are significantly misinformed about immigration issues (e.g., the number of immigrants, their characteristics, and effects). But while various attempts to change people’s mind on immigration by correcting these misperceptions have generally not been successful, this failure might be a result of not providing the most relevant, perspective-changing information. We argue that informing respondents about the actual difficulty of legal immigration (administrative burden) into the U.S.—which many are simply not aware of—should be an effective way to raise public support for more open immigration policies. To test our argument, we conduct a survey experiment that informs respondents about the specific restrictions and administrative burdens of the current U.S. immigration system. Our pilot results find evidence in support of our hypotheses. Additionally, we also aim for the first time to descriptively assess people’s (mis)perceptions about the legal family and labor U.S. immigration process.

Authors

• Michelangelo Landgrave, University of Colorado

• Alexander Kustov, University of North Carolina at Charlotte