Immigration and the Economy

EconoFact Chats

Immigration promises to be a key issue in the U.S. Presidential elections. Candidates from both parties favor limits but differ on the extent of restrictions. Immigration is important for a vibrant economy in a country with a low rate of native population growth. What role has immigration played in U.S. economic and demographic growth in recent decades? What has been the impact, if any, on employment and wages among the native-born? What are the likely impacts of restricting immigration for particular industries and for the economy as a whole? Giovanni Peri, founding director of the Global Migration Center at UC Davis joins EconoFact Chats to discuss these questions. Giovanni is a Professor in the Department of Economics at UC Davis. He is also a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research.