Student Project Model #2

PATHFINDER - BIBLIOGRAPHY

RESEARCH QUESTION:

What are the Economic Effects of Illegal Immigration to the United States?

INTRODUCTION

In 1994, Californians passed Proposition 187, which made illegal aliens ineligible for public social services, public health care services and public school education at elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels and required various state and local agencies to report persons who are suspected illegal aliens to the California Attorney General and the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. (California Secretary of State's Office)

I felt this proposition made illegal immigrants scapegoats for many of the state's economic problems. I believed that illegal immigration did not really hurt our economy, that most of the jobs taken by illegal immigrants were not very desirable by American citizens and that these illegal immigrants probably contributed much more to the economy by their work than they took from their use of social services, public health care or public schools. In addition, I especially felt that if people in need were denied these services that greater problems would be created. For example, if prenatal care was denied to poor women, more serious (and expensive) health problems, such as increased premature births, would likely result.

Since I didn't really have any facts to support my beliefs, I decided that this would be a perfect topic to research in order to find out what has really been documented to either support or oppose my ideas.

The federal government's basic policy on illegal immigration was set out in a 1986 law that granted amnesty to many illegal immigrants already in the United States, regularized their status, and sought to prevent further unauthorized immigration. Since a national-origins quota that had been in place since early in the century lapsed in 1968 and preference went to migration for family reunification, the 1986 law favored the most recent immigrants and particularly Asians and diminished opportunities for the Europeans formerly favored. (Naisbitt, Flaum and Handlin)

People voted for Proposition 187 because they blame many of the country's problems--especially economic problems--on illegal immigrants, but statistics show that illegal immigrants put more back into the economy than they take. Some of these statistics were presented clearly in an editorial in the May 1996 issue of the journal, American Demographics:

"Do illegals hurt the economy? Probably not. Providing public education for children of illegal aliens costs about $3.1 billion in the seven key states in 1993-94, according to the Urban Institute. Illegal aliens in prison cost about $471 million a year, and they consume about $445 million more in Medicaid funds. But these costs are offset by about $1.9 billion in taxes paid by illegals and billions more in consumer spending." (Edmondson 3)

Emigration and immigration -- Economic aspects

Illegal aliens

United States -- Emigration and immigration

"America's Immigrants: Welcome Mat." Rev. of The Other Americans: How Immigrants Renew Our Country, Our Economy and Our Values, by Joel Millman. The Economist 6 September 1997: S8.

Andrews, James H. "The Newest Americans." Planning 63.9 (Sep. 1997): 4-9.

Beck, Roy Howard. The Case Against Immigration : The Moral, Economic Social and Environmental Reasons for Reducing United States Immigration Back to Traditional Levels. N. Y.: W. W. Norton, 1996.

The key point made by Roy Beck, editor of the Washington, D.C.-based quarterly journal, The Social Contract, is that immigration has increased the gap between rich and poor. Beckís argument is summarized by Publishers' Weekly: "Current high levels of immigration serve the interest of a small elite, principally corporations and other employers that benefit from low-wage labor. The losers, in Beck's analysis, are not only America's poor and working class, forced to compete against immigrants, but also the broad middle class, because the labor glut, by reducing pressure on employers to share with employees the results of increased productivity, leads to depressed wages, reduced employee benefits and mounting economic insecurity." (52) Reviewing The Case Against Immigration in The New York Times Book Review, Francis Fukuyama states that Beck "makes a coherent populist argument for cutting immigration on the ground that it contributes to the ëcrisis of the middle classí -- stagnant to falling real wages that breed deteriorating communities and crumbling families." (18)

Beck, Roy Howard. "Immigration-Fueled US Population Growth Is 'Spoiler' in Economic, Social and Environmental Efforts." Population and Environment 18.5 (May 1997): 483-487.

Benhabib, J. "On the Political Economy of Immigration." European Economic Review 40.9 (Dec 1996): 1737-1743.

Bhagwati, Jagdish. Rev. of Friends and Strangers: The Impact of Immigrants on the U. S. Economy , by George J. Borjas. The New Republic 14 May 1990 : 31.

Borjas, George J. "The Economics of Immigration." Journal of Economic Literature 32.4 (Dec. 1994): 1667-1717.

Borjas, George J. Friends and Strangers: The Impact of Immigrants on the U. S. Economy. N. Y.: Basic Books, 1990.

In Friends or Strangers, George Borjas, a professor of Economics at University of California, Santa Barbara and a prominent empirical researcher on immigration into the United States, concludes that: "immigrants do not lower earnings or lessen employment opportunities, and recent immigrants are significantly less skilled and poorer than their predecessors." (Publisher's note) Reviewing this book in Library Journal, Norman Lederer found Borjasí "careful survey of extant data and scholarly research regarding immigration past and present provides a valuable, albeit controversial, contribution to the literature." (91) In a review in The New Republic, Jagdish Bhagwati called Friends or Strangers a "carefully argued and gracefully written book." (32)

Borjas, George J. "The New Economics of Immigration: Affluent Americans Gain; Poor Americans Lose." Atlantic Monthly Nov. 1996: 72+.

Briggs, Vernon M Jr. "Mass Immigration, Free Trade, and the Forgotten American Worker." Challenge May/June 1995: 37-44.

Briggs, Vernon M., Jr.  "Immigration Policy and the U.S. Economy: An Institutional Perspective. Journal of Economic Issues 30.2 (June 1996): 371+.

Brown , C. Anthony. "Look at Immigration Revealing." Rev. of The Case Against Immigration: The Moral, Economic Social and Environmental Reasons for Reducing United States Immigration Back to Traditional Levels, by Roy Howard Beck. The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) 14 July 1996: G5.

California Secretary of State's Office. "Proposition 187. Illegal Aliens." 1994 California Voter Information. <http://ca94.election.digital.com/e/prop/187/home.html > [Accessed 20 November 1997].

Rev. of The Case Against Immigration : The Moral, Economic Social and Environmental Reasons for Reducing United States Immigration Back to Traditional Levels, by Roy Howard Beck. Publishers Weekly 11 March 1996: 52.

Cassidy, John. "The Melting-Pot Myth: Immigration Made America. Could It Unmake It, Too?" New Yorker July 14, 1997: 40+.

Center for Immigration Research. University of Houston. <http://firenza.uh.edu/Centers.htmld/CIR.htmld/ > [Accessed 12 November 1997].

The mission statement of the Center for Immigration Research, states that the organization "seeks to study the consequences of current immigration trends in order to inform decision making concerning international and national immigration policies, as well as to disseminate information to local institutions, organizations and policy-makers involved with the settlement and incorporation of America's 'new immigrants' into their communities." The Center's website includes a series of about a dozen unpublished "Working Papers" documents on immigration-related topics, a bibliography of selected publications on immigration issues (available for purchase from the Center), and a list of about 30 other immigration-related web sites.

Center for Immigration Studies. <http://www.us.net/cis/ > [Accessed 15 November 1997].

The website of the Center for Immigration Studies describes the Center as "a non-partisan, non-profit organization founded in 1985. It is the nation's only think tank devoted exclusively to research and policy analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal, and others impacts of immigration on the United States. Much of the analysis of immigration issues has been carried out by ethnic, business or foreign-policy interests that have given little attention to immigration's impact in the nation as a whole or to assessing that impact comprehensively. The information needed for sound debate of immigration policy has too often been selective, narrowly focused or altogether absent. It is the Center's mission to expand the base of public knowledge and understanding of the need for an immigration policy that gives first concern to the broad national interest." The Center's website includes a list of the Center's publications (available for purchase), tables of contents and selected articles from the Center's quarterly journal, Immigration Review and links to over 50 immigration-related Web sites.

Center for Research on Immigration Policy (CRIP). RAND. <http://www.rand.org/centers/iet/crip.html >. May 1997. [Accessed 12 November 1997].

The website of the Center for Research on Immigration Policy (CRIP) includes the following description of the Center: "CRIP was established in 1988 to conduct analytical research, policy analysis, and outreach to inform the development of effective immigration and immigrant policies. The Center is committed to work with decisionmakers at the local, state, federal, and international levels and other interested groups and individuals through briefings, workshops, conferences, and publications. The CRIP's research agenda concentrates on: the effects of immigration on receiving and sending countries; integration of immigrants in the United States; access to and use of public services by immigrants; the education of immigrants and their children; comparative analyses of the immigration experience and policies of other countries; and the link between immigration and key national security and international policy issues." The website also includes a list of the Center's publications (available for purchase) organized by the following topics: "U.S. Immigration Policy and Effects", "Mexican Migration", "Integration of Immigrants", and "International Migration Issues". Many of the listed publications include detailed abstracts.

Chang, Howard F. Liberalized Immigration as Free Trade: Economic Welfare and the Optimal Immigration Policy." University of Pennsylvania Law Review 145.5 (May 1997): 1147-1244.

Citrin, J., et. al. "Public Opinion toward Immigration Reform: The Role of Economic Motivations." Journal of Politics 59.3 (Aug. 1997): 858-881.

Dodd, Desmond. "Wait a Minute, Immigration is Good for the US After All." Asia Times 2 June 1997: 1.

Djajic, Slobodan. "Illegal Immigration and Resource Allocation." International Economic Review 38.1 (Feb 1997): 97-117.

Edmondson, Brad. "Life without Illegal Immigrants." Editorial. American Demographics 18.5 (May 1996): 2.

Brad Edmondson is senior writer at American Demographics Magazine and editor of Forecast, a marketing newsletter published by American Demographics.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform. <http://www.fairus.org/ > [Accessed 15 November 1997].

According to the website of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), "FAIR is a national, membership-based, educational organization, with 70,000 members across the country, working to help the American public convince Congress that our nation's immigration laws must be reformed."

Francis , Davis. "Shedding Light On Immigration ." The Christian Science Monitor 21 May 1997: 8.

Fukuyama, F. "No Vacancy." Rev. of The Case Against Immigration: The Moral, Economic Social and Environmental Reasons for Reducing United States Immigration Back to Traditional Levels, by Roy Howard Beck. New York Times Book Review 1 Sept. 1996:18.

Greenwood, Michael J. and Gary L. Hunt. "Economic Effects of Immigrants on Native and Foreign-Born Workers: Complementarity, Substitutability, and Other Channels of Influence." Southern Economic Journal 61.4 (Apr 1995): 1076-1097.

Greenwood, Michael J., Gary Hunt and Ulrich Kohli. "The Short-Run and Long-Run Factor-Market Consequences of Immigration to the United States." Journal of Regional Science 36.1 (Feb 1996): 43-66.

Hendrickson, D.C. Rev. of The Case Against Immigration: The Moral, Economic Social and Environmental Reasons for Reducing United States Immigration Back to Traditional Levels, by R. Beck. Foreign Affairs 75.4 (July-August 1996): 146.

Idelson, Holly. "Economic Anxieties Bring Debate on Immigration to a Boil." Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report 16 March 1996: 697+.

Jupp, James. Centre for Immigration and Multicultural Studies. Australian National University. <http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/CIMS/CIMSHomePage.html >. 3 December 1996. [Accessed 12 November 1997].

This website provides information on the work of the Centre for Immigration and Multicultural Studies (CIMS) and provides links to 67 "information facilities of value and/or significance to researchers in related fields." Also included at the site are: Polyphony, an occasional newsletter produced by the Centre, the CIMS Oral History Page and a list of publications available from CIMS.

Kelley, Daryl. "Illegal Immigrants Remain a Concern Despite Economy." Los Angeles Times 2 November 1997: B1.

Khan, Aliya Hashmi. "Post-Migration Investment in Education by Immigrants in the United States." Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance 37 (1997): 285+.

Kposowa, Augustine J. "The Impact of Immigration on Unemployment and Earnings among Racial Minorities in the United States." Ethnic and Racial Studies 18.3 (July 1995): 605 +.

Lederer, Norman. Rev. of Friends and Strangers: The Impact of Immigrants on the U. S. Economy , by George J. Borjas. Library Journal 1 February 1990: 91.

Lehigh, Scot. "Is the Door Open Too Wide? Economics Is the Real Immigration Issue and Congress Is Avoiding It." The Boston Globe 23 June 1996: 67.

Martin, Philip L. "The Economics of Immigration." FACSNET. <http://www.facsnet.org/report_tools/newsbackgrounders/back8.html > [Accessed 10 November 1997].

Matloff, Norman. "How Immigration Harms Minorities." Public Interest. 124 (Summer 1996): 61-71.

McCarthy, Kevin F. "Immigration: Problem to Solve or Issue to Manage?" RAND Research Review: Focus on California. http://www.rand.org/publications/RRR/RRR.fall94.calif/immigration.htm

McDonnell, Patrick J. "Study Finds Immigrants' Economic Effect Mixed; Region: Success Fosters Mobility, and Suburbs Gain. But the Poor Remain in Pockets of Poverty." Los Angeles Times 23 January 1997: B1.

Mendel, Ed. "As Economy Hums, Drone Fades About Immigrants." San Diego Union-Tribune 21 July 1997: A3.

Millman, Joel. The Other Americans: How Immigrants Renew Our Country, Our Economy and Our Values. N.Y. : Viking, 1997.

Wall Street Journal writer, Joel Millman, challenges prevailing criticisms of immigrants by tracing what The Economist magazine describes as "the micro-economics of immigration at the level of the individual, the small business, the street corner. He looks at immigration as people, rather than numbers; and the news he tells is unambiguously cheerful." (S8) A review of Millmanís book in Publishers' Weekly points out that, "while the author makes a strong case for inviting immigrants to come here and work, he downplays a huge question: whether they will assimilate culturally. Nonetheless, his reporting is thought-provoking and memorable." (32) The Economist review concludes: "Mr. Millman's account is sometimes distractingly detailed. No detail of the immigrant economy is too small to fascinate him. Yet in the end it is this accumulation of detail which makes The Other Americans persuasive." (S9)

Naisbitt, John, Thea K. Flaum and Oscar Handlin. "United States of America: PHYSICAL AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY: The People: IMMIGRATION." Britannica Online. <http://www.eb.com:195/cgi-bin/g?DocF=macro/5006/47/30.html&keywords=immigration&DBase=Index&hits=10&pt=1&sort=#0058> [Accessed 12 November 1997].

Rev. of The Other Americans: How Immigrants Renew Our Country, Our Economy and Our Values, by Joel Millman. Publishers Weekly 9 June 1997: 32.

Reich, Robert B. Rev. of Friends and Strangers: The Impact of Immigrants on the U. S. Economy, by George J. Borjas. Washington Monthly February 1990: 53.

Riippa, Timo. Immigration History Research Center (IHRC). University of Minnesota. <http://www.umn.edu/ihrc/ >. 22 Mar 1996. [Accessed 15 November 1997].

This website describes the Immigration History Research Center (IHRC), founded in 1965 at the University of Minnesota, as "an international resource on American immigration and ethnic history. It maintains archival and library collections, sponsors academic and public programs, and publishes bibliographic and scholarly works." The website also describes the Center's archival and library collections and includes the Center's newsletter, IHRC News.

Thom, Linda. "California, Here We Come." National Review 16 June 1997: 38.

"The World-Wide Web Virtual Library on Migration and Ethnic Relations." ERCOMER: European Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic Relations. <http://www.ercomer.org/wwwvl >. 5 October 1997. [Accessed 12 November 1997].

This website is a collection of links to major Internet resources in the field of migration and ethnic relations. It is part of the much larger WWW Virtual Library that covers an extensive range of academic subjects.

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These materials may be used for educational purposes, but please inform and credit the author and cite the source as: LSCI 105 Computerized Research. All commercial rights are reserved. Send comments or suggestions to: Eric Brenner at brenner@smcccd.cc.ca.us