Explaining the Impact of South-South Migration: Evidence from Chile’s Immigration Boom

Studies have extensively documented the effect of immigration on anti-immigration attitudes in high-income democracies. However, comparative political research has devoted less attention to South-South migration. We examine the impact of immigration on attitudes toward immigrants in Chile, which has experienced a threefold increase in its foreign-born population in the last decade. Using an instrumental variable design, we find that exposure to immigration increases hostile attitudes toward immigrants. Regarding the underlying factors driving hostile attitudes toward foreign-born groups, we find robust evidence pointing to immigration creating a public service shortage, which could explain the observed hostility. Conversely, we do not report evidence backing cultural anxieties or labor market competition. Hence, the Chilean case points to anti-immigrant attitudes gaining ground in contexts where welfare state provisions are limited and often precarious.