Does Immigration Increase Economic Growth?

The author reviews the evidence on whether immigration helps or harms American workers. The consensus among economists is that increased immigration leads to higher economic growth and that immigrants complement rather than displace native-born workers.

The publication includes tables showing the concentrations of immigrants and native-born in various industries. The availability of immigrant labor in a particular occupation often opens up job opportunities for native-born Americans in related occupations. The author critiques a recent report by the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, which examined New Hampshire's labor market since 2000 and concluded that immigration reduced work opportunities for native-born Americans. Among the errors and conceptual flaws in this study were not taking into account New Hampshire residents working in neighboring states, counting Massachusetts workers who move to New Hampshire as "immigrants," and confusing people who are "not employed" with "unemployed." The publication concludes by urging Congress to undertake major reforms of our immigration system by using the 2013 Senate Immigration bill as a starting point. "A large body of economic literature and government data, of which this paper offers a snapshot, leaves little doubt that immigration is not the cause of the country's current economic woes - but is rather part of the cure to the faster economic growth that the U.S. urgently needs." (Abstract courtesy of Dr. Nicholas V. Montalto)

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