This book sheds light on one of the most controversial issues of the decade. It identifies the economic gains and losses from immigration—for the nation, states, and local areas—and provides a foundation for public discussion and policymaking. Three key questions are explored:




What is the influence of immigration on the overall economy, especially national and regional labor markets?
What are the overall effects of immigration on federal, state, and local government budgets?
What effects will immigration have on the future size and makeup of the nation's population over the next 50 years?


The New Americans examines what immigrants gain by coming to the United States and what they contribute to the country, the skills of immigrants and those of native-born Americans, the experiences of immigrant women and other groups, and much more. It offers examples of how to measure the impact of immigration on government revenues and expenditures—estimating one year's fiscal impact in California, New Jersey, and the United States and projecting the long-run fiscal effects on government revenues and expenditures. Also included is background information on immigration policies and practices and data on where immigrants come from, what they do in America, and how they will change the nation's social fabric in the decades to come.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Summary
1 The Immigration Debate
2 Background to Contemporary U.S. Immigration
3 The Face of the U.S. Population in 2050
4 Immigration's Effects on Jobs and Wages: First Principles
5 Immigration's Effects on Jobs and Wages: Empirical Evidence
6 Do Immigrants Impose a Net Fiscal Burden? Annual Estimates
7 The Future Fiscal Impacts of Current Immigrants
8 The Social Dimensions of Immigration
Biographical Sketches
Index