January 2013

IZA DP No. 7136: U.S. Immigration Policy at a Crossroads

published as 'U.S. Immigration Policy at a Crossroads: Should the U.S. Continue Its Family-Friendly Policy?' in: International Migration Review, 2014, 48 (3), 823-845

Two issues have taken center stage in the recent debates about U.S. immigration policy: one, illegal immigration and more generally the entrance of poorly educated individuals into the U.S. economy and two, whether the U.S. should continue its family-based admissions system or move towards a skills-based system. This paper analyzes these issues culling evidence from the history of U.S. immigration policy, the experiences of different types of U.S. immigrants, and cross-national comparisons.