Attitudes toward female immigrants and refugees to the United States: A conjoint experiment

Abstract

UNHCR and other UN bodies have declared female migrants to be a group in need of special protection. In recent years, the plight of female asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. border has captured international attention. In this paper, we examine how U.S. citizens' perceptions of prospective immigrants and refugees vary by gender. Using data from an original conjoint survey experiment of 1200 U.S. citizens gathered in 2021, we study how immigrant and refugee characteristics—including nationality, religion, occupation, migration motivations, and number of children—affected U.S. citizens’ willingness to admit female newcomers. We find strong evidence of a consistent preference for female immigrants and refugees, regardless of their attributes. Being female versus male yielded the largest bonus for Salvadoran women and unemployed women.