Economics of Immigration

How does immigration help the economy? Immigrants make a significant impact on state and local economies. Learn more about the contributions immigrants make as workers, taxpayers and consumers.

Recent Features

  • Blog

Immigrant Workers Enhance and Expand the U.S. Economy

Over the years, more and more economists have come to the conclusion that immigrant workers “complement” the native-born majority of the labor force by bringing different sets of skills and different demographic profiles with them, both of which enhance and expand the economy as a whole.

All Economics of Immigration Content

  • Research and Analysis

Immigrant Success or Stagnation?: Confronting the Claim of Latino Non-Advancement

Publication Date: 
October 1, 2003
Latinos experience substantial socioeconomic progress across generations compared to both their immigrant forefathers and native Anglos. But this fact is lost in statistical portraits of the Latino...
  • Research and Analysis

Migrating to Recovery: The Role of Immigration in Urban Renewal

Publication Date: 
July 1, 2003
Policymakers in states from Iowa to Utah and in cities from Albuquerque to Boston have realized that immigration is a key source of long-term economic vitality, particularly in urban areas...
  • Research and Analysis

The Role of Remittances in the World's Economy

Publication Date: 
April 1, 2003
Remittances – money immigrants and foreign workers send abroad to their families – exert a key positive influence on the global economy, concludes a new report by the World Bank. The report carries...
  • Research and Analysis

U.S. Soldiers from Around the World: Immigrants Fight for an Adopted Homeland

Publication Date: 
March 1, 2003
As American troops, including many immigrants, are now engaged in military action in Iraq, the Immigration Policy Center has updated its fact sheet about the role and participation of immigrants in...
  • Research and Analysis

Foreign Students on Campus: An Asset to Our Nation

Publication Date: 
February 1, 2003
Americans are rightfully proud of our nation's higher education system. Scholars come to the U.S. from all over the world and we have historically educated many of the world's leaders. But the...
  • Fact Sheet

Mexican Immigrant Workers and the U.S. Economy: An Increasingly Vital Role

Publication Date: 
September 1, 2002
America's current immigration policies are antiquated and fail to recognize the importance of Mexican workers to the national economy. U.S. immigration law must provide ways for Mexican workers to...
  • Research and Analysis

ESL Helps Immigrants Integrate: Interest Remains High Despite a National Shortage of ESL Programs

Publication Date: 
July 2, 2002
Although the immigrant population increased during the past decade, the 2000 U.S. Census indicates that the rate of assimilation is keeping pace. Recent studies show that improved English language...
  • Fact Sheet

Immigrants Pay their Fair Share

Publication Date: 
May 2, 2002
A recent study by the University of Florida shows that immigrants in Florida pay their fair share of taxes, and in some cases there are several immigrant groups that pay substantially higher taxes.
  • Fact Sheet

The Value of Undocumented Workers: The Numbers Behind the U.S. - Mexico Immigration Debate

Publication Date: 
April 1, 2002
A study by the Pew Hispanic Center suggests that new immigration initiatives must find a balance between controlling labor flows and homeland security. The report shows immigrant workers provide most...
  • Research and Analysis

Preliminary Census Data Released: New Estimates Attempt to Reveal Demographics of U.S.

Publication Date: 
March 1, 2002
A recent 2000 Census Bureau report finds an increase in foreign-born residents who are naturalized citizens. Survey data shows the foreign-born percentage of the U.S. population remains constant...
  • Blog

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Continues to Inhibit Asylum Seekers’ Legal Access and Invite Litigation

June 2, 2017

Since the reintroduction of family detention under the Obama administration, abuse of the mothers and children held in these facilities has run rampant. The family detention scheme has grown...

  • Blog

“Baby Jails” Bills Die a Slow Death

June 1, 2017

As the legislative session in Texas drew to a close on Monday, immigration advocates around the country celebrated the death of the “baby jails” bill—a measure that would have licensed Texas...

  • Blog

How California Is Helping Protect Immigrants From Trump’s Aggressive Immigration Enforcement

May 19, 2017

California is once again taking a lead on protecting and integrating its immigrant communities and standing up to the enforcement policies of the Trump administration. The state’s governor and...

  • Blog

DACA Beneficiaries Pay Billions in Taxes

April 28, 2017

The fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative has left 1.3 million undocumented immigrant youth in limbo. President Trump has assured DACA recipients that they can “rest...

  • Blog

Say It With Me: Undocumented Immigrants Pay Taxes

April 17, 2017

Each year, undocumented immigrants file their tax returns, just like all Americans. They pay federal, state, and local taxes, in addition to income, property, and sales taxes. However, there are...

  • Blog

Undocumented Immigrants Are Making a Huge Impact as Taxpayers

March 3, 2017

President Trump made many promises on the campaign trail. One of which was to breathe new life into what some see as a stagnant U.S. economy. In fact, there are indications that it was this one...

  • Blog

In California Cities, Rising Housing Costs Force Immigrants Out

January 24, 2017

California’s economy is big, and so is the immigrant contribution to it. The state’s economy is the sixth largest in the world, and immigrants provide one-third (or $715 billion) of the state’s...

  • Blog

Immigrant Service Members to be Naturalized and Remembered on Veterans Day

November 11, 2016

This year on Veterans Day, over 40 naturalization ceremonies will take place and 7,500 veterans, service members, and military spouses will become the newest Americans. While that may seems like a...

  • Blog

USCIS Fees to Increase in December

October 26, 2016

Fees for immigration transactions will increase by an average of 21 percent beginning on December 23, 2016. Applications or petitions mailed, postmarked, or otherwise filed on or after December 23...

  • Blog

Using Job and Educational Opportunities to Resettle Refugees

October 17, 2016

The UNHCR estimates that worldwide there were over 65 million refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people who fled conflict, violence, and human rights violations in 2015. On average...

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  • Letters

Coalition Effort Advocates for the Inclusion of Visa-Related Provisions in Budget Reconciliation

Publication Date: 
November 2, 2021
The Council joined 89 other organizations in a letter calling for Congress to include visa-related provisions in the budget reconciliation.
  • Letters

Council Urges Biden Administration to Ensure All Immigrant Visas are Processed

Publication Date: 
July 21, 2021
The Council led a letter urging the Biden administration to ensure that all immigrant visas are processed up to the numerical limits by September 30, 2021 to avoid the loss of visas and further...
  • Special Report

Tracking the Biden Agenda on Legal Immigration in the First 100 Days

Publication Date: 
April 29, 2021
This report analyzes the most significant changes to the legal immigration system made by the Biden administration during its first 100 days in office, and makes recommendations to foster a fair and...
  • Amicus Briefs

Supporting Detained Individual’s Right to Access ICE Detention Records through a State FOIA Request

Publication Date: 
February 26, 2021
In the amicus brief, the Council and partners reject Calhoun County's position to withhold records that otherwise would be released under the Michigan state FOIA.
  • Blog

President Biden Ends Part of Trump’s Ban on Legal Immigration

February 25, 2021

President Biden has ended a 10-month ban on immigrant visas—the COVID-19 immigrant visa ban. The Trump administration issued the ban in April 2020 in the name of “protecting” American jobs during...

  • Blog

What Are the Benefits of the J-1 Visa?

February 25, 2021

Over the past year, sweeping orders have banned many non-immigrant visa holders from entering the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic gave many former Trump administration officials the...

  • Blog

How Trump’s COVID-19 Immigration Ban Has Impacted Family-Based Immigration

October 1, 2020

The Trump administration is successfully using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to alter the U.S. system of legal immigration. New government data makes clear that these changes will...

  • Advocacy

Letter Requesting 60-Day Comment Period on Proposed Rule Expanding Collection of Biometrics

September 15, 2020
This new rule will increase the total number of people who are required to submit biometric data from 3.9 million currently to 6.07 million—an increase of more than 60%.
  • Advocacy

Statement for the House Committee on Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship Hearing on "Oversight of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services"

July 29, 2020

The American Immigration Council submitted a written statement to the House Committee on Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship for a July 29, 2020 hearing on "Oversight of U....

  • Blog

USCIS’ Proposed Changes to the Affidavit of Support are Unnecessary and Unlawful

May 5, 2020
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is currently proposing significant changes to the Affidavit of Support (Form I-864), and related forms I-864A and I-864EZ.

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