The State of U.S. Immigration Policy: The Quandary of Economic Methodology and the Relevance of Economic Research to Know

Vernon M. Briggs, Cornell University

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Suggested Citation
Briggs, V. M. (2009). The state of U.S. immigration policy: The quandary of economic methodology and the relevance of economic research to know. [Electronic version]. Journal of Law, Economics and Policy, 5(1), 177-193.
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/articles/256/
Required Publisher Statement
©2009 by Journal of Law, Economics & Policy. Reprinted with permission.

Abstract

[Excerpt] As the 21st Century commences, immigration has once again become a major source of the nation's labor force growth. The public policies that enable mass immigration to occur do more than simply increase the size of the nation's labor force; they also affect such key compositional matters as its human capital, demographics, and geographic attributes. Immigration policy, however, has more than just immediate economic consequences; it also helps to mold the nation's future as long-term citizenship obligations are usually involved.