Neighborhoods, perceived immigration, and preferences for redistribution: Evidence from Barcelona

I use registry data and an original survey with geocoded respondent addresses to investigate how neighborhood immigration influences perceptions and preferences for redistribution in Barcelona. Natives exposed to more African and Asian migrants in their neighborhoods perceive higher immigration rates in the country and in their neighborhood. Plausibly exogenous exposure to recent migrant inflows from these same origins reduces natives' demand for redistribution and increases their support for the extreme right party when inflows are sizable. Genetic distance between natives and immigrants helps explain perceptions, while income and religious distance appear to matter more for preferences. The results highlight the interplay between neighborhoods, perceptions, and preferences.