Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Dr. Tracy Roof
Second Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Erkulwater
Abstract
This thesis explores the variation in immigrant access to state-level social welfare programs in the United States from 1997 to 2023, focusing on the influence of state ideology, democratic performance, and public opinion. In the wake of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which curtailed federal welfare access for many immigrants and shifted authority to the states, significant disparities emerged in how states approached immigrant inclusion. This study examines eight states—four historic immigrant destinations and four “new growth” states—with varied political climates and demographic changes. Using a legislative output index, moral language analysis of state media coverage, and data on democratic performance and racial resentment, the research identifies patterns in state policymaking. Findings indicate that liberal legislative ideology and stronger democratic institutions correlate with more inclusive welfare policies, while states with high racial resentment and conservative leanings tend to restrict immigrant access, regardless of population pressures. The analysis underscores the limits of immigrant population size as a predictor of policy inclusion and highlights the mediating role of ideology and democratic health in shaping state responses to immigrant needs. These results call for further exploration into immigrant political representation and the role of executive leadership in welfare policy outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Daniel, Emily, "Welfare Federalism and Immigrant Inclusion: How State Ideology, Democracy, and Public Opinion Shape Social Policy" (2025). Honors Theses. 1806.
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1806
