Kimberly Clausing
118 μ¢¤³£ ¬μμ¬
Äscal burden o caring for the elderly is enormous. In Japan, there
are eight retired people for every ten workers; in Italy, there are Äve
retirees for every ten workers. In the United States and Canada,
although the budget pressures o an aging population remain, higher
immigration levels contribute to a healthier ratio o three retirees
for every ten workers. It also helps that recent immigrants have
above-average fertility rates.
Many objections to immigration are cultural in nature, and these,
too, have little grounding in reality. There is no evidence that immi-
grants, even undocumented ones, increase crime rates. Nor is there
evidence that they refuse to integrate; in fact, they are assimilating
faster than previous generations o immigrants did.
Given the many beneÄts from immigration, greater restrictions on
it pose several threats to American workers. Already, the United
States is beginning to lose foreign talent, which will hurt economic
growth. For two years straight, the number o foreign students study-
ing in U.S. universities has fallen, which is a particular shame since
these students disproportionately study science, technology, engi-
neering, and mathematics—areas in which the country faces large
skills shortages. Encouraging such students to stay in the country
after graduation would help the United States maintain its edge in
innovation and promote economic growth. Instead, the Trump ad-
ministration is discouraging foreign students with visa delays and a
constant stream o nationalist rhetoric. Restricting immigration also
harms the economy in other ways. It keeps out job creators and peo-
ple whose skills complement those o native-born workers. And it
increases the pressure on the budget, since restrictions will lead to a
higher ratio o retirees to workers.
A more sensible immigration policy would make it easier for for-
eign students to stay in the United States after graduation, admit
more immigrants through lotteries, accept more refugees, and pro-
vide a compassionate path to citizenship for undocumented immi-
grants currently living in the United States. Promoting U.S. interests
means more immigration, not less.WHAT WORKS
While reducing trade and immigration damages the prospects o
American workers, free trade and increased immigration are not
enough to ensure their prosperity. Indeed, despite decades o relative