Economic Insecurity and the Rise of Anti-Immigrant Sentiments: The Role of Labor Market Risks and Welfare Deservingness Perception.

This article investigates how labor market risks and perceptions of welfare deservingness relate to anti-immigrant attitudes in fourteen Western European countries, using data from the European Social Survey (ESS). It finds that individuals facing higher occupational risks of job displacement—due to immigration or automation—tend to view immigrants as less economically contributive, reflecting labor market competition concerns. Conversely, those who perceive welfare beneficiaries as deserving are more likely to hold positive views of immigrants' contributions. Importantly, the negative impact of labor market risks on attitudes toward immigrants is stronger among individuals skeptical about the fairness of welfare benefit distribution, suggesting that beliefs about welfare deservingness moderate the link between economic insecurity and anti-immigrant sentiment. These findings imply that enhancing public confidence in the fairness of the welfare system may reduce exclusionary attitudes toward immigrants despite economic anxieties.