Kenan Institute Distinguished Fellow Tara Watson discussed “An Economist’s Guide to Immigration Reform” before an audience of UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School faculty and students on April 11.
Immigration is one of the most contentious policy issues, and Congress has failed to make any significant legislative progress in decades. The result is an incoherent policy landscape and significant operational challenges on the ground. At the same time, immigration and immigrant integration remain critical to future U.S. workforce growth, innovation and government fiscal solvency. Watson discussed the key findings from the economics literature and their implications for where to focus immigration reform efforts.