Streets of Gold

April 1, 2022
Why immigrants make America prosper. Economists Abramitzky and Boustan mount a compelling argument for the success of immigrants in the U.S. for more than 100 years. Drawing on data documenting millions of immigrants from many countries, arriving with varying levels of education and resources, they find strong evidence of immigrants' upward mobility, assimilation, and contributions to the economy and culture. Along with a proliferation of data from sources such as ancestry.com and census records, the authors provide lively case histories to exemplify their findings and allow them to expand on each individual's situation in their home country, reasons for coming to the U.S., details about their journey, and their own and their family's experiences here since arrival. Their analysis contradicts those who believe that immigrants remain stuck in an underclass, fail to assimilate, cause crime, and take jobs away from U.S.-born workers. Although immigrants with little education often do not catch up with U.S.-born workers within one generation, write the authors, "children of poor immigrants from nearly every country in the world make it to the middle of the income distribution by adulthood, and so the fears of creating a permanent immigrant underclass are entirely misplaced." Those who arrive with viable skills and education "outearn US-born workers, even upon first arrival." Although many settle in immigrant communities when they first arrive, they soon move to locations that offer "the best opportunities for upward mobility for their kids," fostering their assimilation. In addition, they commit less crime than U.S.-born Americans. "Both in the past and today," the authors have found, "immigrants from all over the world learn English, leave immigrant neighborhoods, and marry US-born spouses." Abramitzky and Boustan append a timeline of immigration policy and urge lawmakers to take a long view in setting policy for the future. Their extensive findings make the case for welcoming immigrants' participation in "a flourishing American society." A well-researched, informative contribution to a contentious--and often misinformed--debate.

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