The economics and politics of immigration

Public opinion polls find that, alongside the economy, immigration is among the top concerns on the minds of many Americans as the nation heads towards the 2024 election.

To shed light on this often heated and emotional debate, the Economic Studies and Governance Studies programs at Brookings are convening a panel of experts on immigration on June 12 at 10:00 a.m. Participating will be economists Tara Watson of Brookings and Madeline Zavodny of the University of North Florida and political scientists Elaine Kamarck of Brookings and Ruy Teixeira of the American Enterprise Institute.

Viewers can join the conversation and ask questions of the speakers by emailing [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @BrookingsEcon and/or @BrookingsGov using the hashtag #Immigration.

Recommended reading

• “New immigration estimates help make sense of the pace of employment,” by Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson
• “New census data hints at an urban population revival, assisted by immigration,” by William H. Frey
• “Fixing the border: Four reasons the immigration crisis isn’t going away,” by Elaine Kamarck
• “How immigration reforms could bolster Social Security and Medicare solvency and address direct care workforce issues,” by Tara Watson
• “Immigration to address the caregiving shortfall,” by Benjamin H. Harris and Liam Marshall
• “A more equitable distribution of the positive fiscal benefits of immigration,” by Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson
• “Immigration Impact Index,” by Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson
• “From policy disputes to legal wrangling: The changing argument over border security,” by William A. Galston

Registration is required to attend an event in person and guests at Brookings are required to attest to their state of health before attending. Visitors may not enter the building if they are feeling ill for any reason, have any symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19, have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and do not yet meet the criteria to resume normal activities based on current CDC guidance, or have been advised by their healthcare professional or otherwise to not enter any space where some persons may not be vaccinated.