Think tank experts argue economic implications of immigration

The Woodrow Wilson Center hosted a colloquium on “The Economic Effect of Immigration: Implications for Income and Employment of Low-Skill Labor in the United States.” Speakers at the colloquium included Tamar Jacoby, president and CEO of Immigration Works USA, and Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies.

Jacoby said the only cost of immigration is a one to four percent wage decrease for low-skilled American workers. She argued that this cost is negated by the economic growth caused by immigration. Jacoby offered the example that immigration in North Carolina bears a $61 million cost compared to $11 billion of economic growth. Jacoby contended that due to the way immigrant workers complement American workers, every one agricultural worker creates three local jobs.

Conversely, Krikorian said that mass immigration is not economically sustainable. Krikorian admitted that although immigration helps our economy grow, the growth may decrease quality of life and per capita income for Americans in general.