Introduction: the economics of immigration.

• Author: Nowrasteh, Alex

Immigration was the most distinctive policy issue debated in the 2016 presidential election. The issue dominated the election in sharp contrast to every other election in U.S. history, where it was generally a minor concern. In his first speech announcing his candidacy for president, then-candidate Donald J. Trump argued that immigration, legal and illegal, posed a serious problem for the United States. He said, Mexico is "sending people that have lots of problems.... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

Trump's criticism hinges on the economic impact of immigrants. His unexpected victory put immigration at the front and center of the national debate and forced us to take his policy recommendations seriously. Candidate Trump emphasized border security and a border wall to stop illegal immigration, but he also spoke about his desire to restrict legal immigration. His statement of principles on immigration, if turned into law, would cut legal immigration by about twothirds and potentially halt illegal immigration.

This edition of Cato Journal brings together leading scholars who have written widely on the economics of immigration. They presented their research at a Cato Institute conference on "The Economics of Immigration" on September 2, 2016, funded by the generous support of the Searle Freedom Trust and the Ewing

Marion Kauffman Foundation. This volume is based on their conference papers, which summarize some of their most relevant and interesting findings related to the economics of immigration. As President Trump finishes his first year without significant new immigration legislation, this volume is published at just the right time to add to the public debate.

In the language of economics, Trump's criticism of immigrants is that the costs they impose on American society exceed the benefits they produce. Although he focuses on their supposed criminal behavior, the low rate of immigrant incarceration and falling crime rates in areas with more immigrants indicate that this is not a serious argument against immigration.

The human capital component of his complaint is more subtle but also more serious. Immigrants do tend to be less educated than natives although the gap is narrowing. Their lower levels of human capital mean that they are generally less productive and thus earn lower wages, potentially competing with many lower-skilled Americans.

Immigration could have an...