Analysis Group Consultants Discuss Immigration Report with EconoFact Podcast
October 28, 2024
With immigration at the center of public debate in the United States, Analysis Group Managing Principal Jee-Yeon Lehmann and Vice President Yao Lu spoke with EconoFact – a non-partisan economics publication – on its weekly podcast program to discuss a report on immigration that they coauthored with other economists at Analysis Group. Their report, The Economic Impact of Immigration on the United States, compiled and analyzed data and research on the impact of immigrants on the nation’s capacity for innovation, economic growth, and technological change. As part of their analysis, the authors evaluated common claims about the impact of immigrants on US-born workers through the lens of economic research.
During their interview with EconoFact’s executive editor, Michael Klein of Tufts University, Drs. Lehmann and Lu described what the data reveal about the countries of origin, education and skill sets, and workforce roles of recent immigrants to the US. Dr. Lu noted that most of the recent US labor force growth – an important driver of economic growth – is due to immigration, and that immigrants work in a wide range of jobs but are overrepresented in the health care, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction sectors. She also described how immigrants are key drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship in the US.
Dr. Lehmann explained that, contrary to widespread belief, economic research does not support the contention that foreign-born workers have a significant impact on the employment and wage levels of US-born workers. She also noted that, despite growing demand from US employers, annual caps on the US temporary employment-based visas that can be issued have not changed since the early 2000s, with negative short- and long-term consequences for US economic growth. Finally, Drs. Lu and Lehmann detailed the effects of several US federal immigration policies, including the US Refugee Admissions Program.
“Ultimately,” Dr. Lehmann told the podcast, “our hope is that this report can be an accessible resource for voters, policymakers, journalists, business leaders, and the general public as we have conversations about this important topic and debate over the future of immigration policies.”
Read The Economic Impact of Immigration on the United States