Immigration and the U.S. Liberal Welfare State: Why Mainstream Theories Fail to Explain Patterns of Immigration and Access to Political Mobilization

Abstract

Welfare state policies and immigration policies are inseparable when considering the impact of the welfare state structure on issues of social cohesion and the inclusiveness of the nation-state. The inclusion or exclusion of particular social groups is critically shaped by not only their political rights, but also their entitlement to social assistance. States, for example, have restricted or expanded welfare benefits as a tool to (unsuccessfully) control migration flows. This chapter examines the convergence of these two policy domains - social welfare and immigration - in the United States, asking whether current theories fall short of conceptualizing immigrants' relationship to the welfare state.

Keywords: Immigration, social welfare, policy, political mobilization