Does Immigration Shrink the Welfare State?

People normally assume that immigration will expand the welfare state.  The lazy version says (a)  immigrants are net beneficiaries of the welfare state, and (b) people vote their self-interest.  The better version says that immigrants’ countries of origins favor more redistribution than natives – and immigrants’ bring their political culture with them.

Both stories, however, ignore the effect of immigration on natives’ support for the welfare state.   Researchers – most of whom look kindly u...