What America would look like with zero immigration

Professor Justin Gest in commentary on CNN.com discusses a study showing the potential future benefits of greater immigration.

Gest and a team of economists, and demographers modeled what America would be like if President Trump's restrictioni9st immigration policies remained in place. The study projected the outcomes of a variety of policy scenarios -- one that cuts immigration to zero as Trump effectively did in 2020; one that cuts immigration admissions in half; one that extends recent levels; one that increases recent levels by 50%; and one that doubles recent levels.

The results:  "if immigration remained at near-zero levels, within decades, the country could be older, smaller and poorer. But if the US government welcomed more newcomers, within decades, the country could be younger, more productive and richer."

Gest concludes that the research "demonstrates that more immigration is in the best interests of national survival. We should think of immigration policy not just as a humanitarian obligation or a legacy of our past, but actually as a way to secure the country's future."

 

Increased immigration is one way to sustain current expenses associated with Social Security payments.

 

KJ