The No-Brainer

You know, if you only count the income side of the ledger, as Kevin Shih does at The Conversation in his post in support of increasing immigration, the argument in favor will prevail every time.

As I have said innumerable times before I think we should have a skills-based immigration policy along the lines of those in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. I also favor more federal oversight to ensure that importing workers is not used as a device for pushing domestic wages down. I also support greatly increasing the number of work visas available to Mexican citizens. “Comprehensive immigration reform” stands athwart such commonsense policies screaming “Stop!”

I wish that Dr. Shih would write another article on the net gains or costs of immigration looking solely at immigrants without high school educations or even moderate command of the English language. I suspect that I will never see it.

2 comments… add one
  • michael reynolds Link

    I’d also like to see an examination of knock-on effects. How much does US cash flowing to Mexico help (or hurt) their stability? What’s the cash value of a favorably-disposed, stable southern neighbor?

    One of the more interesting ideas I’ve heard for Mexicans wishing to retaliate is that Mexico can relax border controls to their south and let Guatemalans and Hondurans stream north to rent ladders and climb Trump’s wall.

    This applies as well to the question of NATO. Yes, it’s damned expensive, and yes the locals keep heading to the restroom when the check comes, but on the other hand: Germany hasn’t invaded anyone lately and France hasn’t surrendered. How do we calculate the value of that? What is the cash value of a third world war that never happened?

  • Jimbino Link

    Once those Hondurans and Guatemalans show up at my door, I’ll hire them, because they understand what it means to “work like a Mexican.”

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