The missing link? The role of sub-national governance in transnational social protections

Abstract

Much of the existing literature on social protection for immigrants focuses on what people do as individuals and households or on national policy. However, there is a third set of actors which deserves attention: sub-national and local governments. Drawing comparisons both within and between the United States and Spain, this article analyzes the extent to which sub-national governments step in when national policies block immigrant access to healthcare. Using cross-national surveys, national and sub-national data, we find that sub-national governments often provide some level of social protection, even in the case of undocumented immigrants. However, their responses vary significantly and are not easily explained by left-right political divides, changes in levels of diversity, or the relative political power of immigrants. Future work is needed not only to explain variations in non-citizen health coverage policies at the sub-national level in receiving countries, but also to offer a more complete picture of immigrant resource environments through a parallel analysis of sending-state social protection policies.