Harnessing the Advantages of Immigration for a 21st-Century Economy
The U.S. immigration system neither meets labor market needs efficiently nor minds the interests of U.S. workers with particular success. It has yet to devise a way that uses immigration to promote U.S. economic growth and competitiveness well.
This paper proposes an institutional solution to address this systemic failure: creating a permanent and independent body, situated within the executive branch, that is charged with recommending adjustments to immigration laws to the president and Congress: the Standing Commission on Labor Markets, Economic Competitiveness, and Immigration. The bipartisan panel would provide timely, evidence-based and impartial analysis and recommendations to the president and Congress regarding employment-based immigration.
Papademetriou, D. G., Meissner, D., Rosenblum, M. R., and Sumption, M. (2009). Harnessing the Advantages of Immigration for a 21st-Century Economy: A standing commission on labor markets, economic competitiveness and immigration. Washington, D.C.: Migration Policy Institute.