Economics
Immigrant Potential Is an Expensive Thing to Waste
High-skilled new Americans often face obstacles in obtaining jobs appropriate to their skill level. There are many reasons for this. Those who are educated outside the U.S. may fail to have their foreign training recognized by U.S. employers and licensing bureaus. Some lack proficiency in English and race and ethnicity… Read More
New American Undergraduates Are Key to Growth
The U.S. Department of Education recently released new data on university undergraduates that underscores the key role immigrants and their children play in our economy. New American Undergraduates examines the enrollment trends of immigrant (foreign-born) and second-generation (born in the U.S. to at least one foreign-born parent) students. Together, they are referred to as New Americans, and they comprise an important share of college students who will then move on to contribute to the U.S. economy as workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers, consumers, and homeowners. Read More
New Study Shows the Multiple Forms of Skilled Immigrant Labor
It is well known that immigrants make enormous contributions to the U.S. economy as workers, consumers, taxpayers, and entrepreneurs. As part of the labor force, immigrants are employed in a wide range of industries but tend to be concentrated in some occupations at both ends of the occupational spectrum. At… Read More
Contemplating Our Immigrant Future
One of the many lessons to be learned from this year’s presidential campaign is that immigration is far too complex to be captured by political slogans and soundbites. Whether a candidate is trying to “build walls” or “build bridges,” the reality of immigration is finely nuanced. The United States neither… Read More
How Investing in Immigrants Leads to a Tax Surplus for States
While the federal government is responsible for admitting immigrants to the U.S., immigrants live in states and local communities. And at the local level, immigrants are our neighbors, coworkers, and classmates, in addition to being taxpayers and consumers. They contribute to local and state economies and have a fiscal impact… Read More
Investing in the Children of Immigrants is Critical for American Economy
Immigrants make many contributions to the U.S. economy through their labor power, purchasing power, tax payments, business formation and scientific innovation. Some of these contributions are captured in traditional cost-benefit analyses; others are not. But one of their most valuable economic contributions comes in the form of their native-born children. Read More
Immigration a Boon to U.S. Economy Finds National Panel of Experts
mmigrants and their descendants make valuable contributions to the U.S. economy, according to a new report just released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine entitled, The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration. The exhaustive report is written by a nationally recognized panel of experts. It takes… Read More
What is the Economic Cost of Deporting All Undocumented Immigrants?
This election, there has been much discussion about what to do about unauthorized immigration. While candidate Hillary Clinton proposes a plan to eventually legalize most undocumented immigrants, Donald Trump has stated many times that he favors mass deportation. But what is the economic cost of deporting 11 million… Read More
Why Restricting Immigration Won’t Improve Work Opportunities for Natives
Serious economists know that immigrant and native-born workers cannot simply be swapped for one another like batteries. On average, immigrants and the native-born differ in terms of formal education, job experience, and English-language skills. As a result, immigrants and the native-born tend to “complement” each other rather than directly… Read More
How Immigrants Strengthen the Economies of All 50 States
The economic and political impact of immigration is often discussed at the national level. This makes sense, especially since immigration is a nationwide issue and a federal responsibility. Yet this national focus often obscures the effects of immigration within particular states. Perhaps the most systematic and comprehensive effort so far… Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar
No one should face the immigration system alone
