The border within: The economics of immigration in an age of fear

For decades, immigration has been one of the most divisive, contentious topics in American politics. And for decades, urgent calls for immigration policy reform have gone mostly unanswered. As the discord surrounding the modern immigration debate has intensified, border enforcement has tightened, and interior enforcement has become more capricious.

On February 7, the Brookings Institution hosted an event marking the launch of a new book by Brookings Rubenstein Fellow Tara Watson and journalist Kalee Thompson, “The Border Within: The Economics of Immigration in an Age of Fear.” In the book, Watson and Thompson assess immigration’s effects on every aspect of American life, combining empirical social science research and rigorous analysis with personal stories from immigrants and their families. The event featured a presentation from the authors followed by a panel discussion among experts on immigration policy.

Viewers submitted questions by visiting sli.do and using the code TheBorderWithin or by emailing events@brookings.edu or via Twitter with #TheBorderWithin.