

10:30 am EDT - 12:00 pm EDT
Past Event
10:30 am - 12:00 pm EDT
1775 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC
20036
Immigration reform remains a hot button topic in the lead up to the 2018 midterm elections. Though the evidence base on the positive impacts of migrants on economic growth is substantial, political rhetoric has largely continued to paint migrants as a threat to native worker prosperity. Do migrants steal jobs, depress wages, and displace native workers or act as a conduit for the infusion of new ideas, technology, and talent into the workforce? Are refugees a net drain or a net gain for the economy? Should the U.S. prioritize visas for highly skilled workers, moving towards a so-called “merit based” migration scheme, or continue to rely on demand driven H1B visas with annual caps to temper the immigration flow? Such questions have led many candidates to make immigration reform a key campaign pillar.
In light of these debates, on Friday, November 2, the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings hosted a discussion about the economic impact of migrants and refugees on host nations, with a focus on implications for U.S. immigration policy moving forward. Brookings Fellow Dany Bahar moderated a panel of experts including, William Kerr, author of a new book, “The Gift of Global Talent: How Migration Shapes Business, Economy and Society,” Michael Clemens of the Center for Global Development, and Anna Maria Mayda of Georgetown University.
After the program, the panelists took audience questions.
Related Content
Dany Bahar
October 4, 2018
Dany Bahar
June 19, 2018
Dany Bahar
April 11, 2018
Panelist
Colin I. Bradford, Brahima Sangafowa Coulibaly
April 22, 2025
Danielle Resnick
April 17, 2025
Mireya Solís
April 17, 2025