Scott Powers
Economists from Florida, Florida State, Miami, and Florida International universities are among nearly 1,500 nationally that sent a letter to President Donald Trump and congressional leaders Wednesday urging immigration reform and embrace of immigration.
In addition to the Florida economists, the 1,470 signatories include six Nobel Laureates and members of the presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama Administrations, as well as leading economists from across the country, according to organizers, the New American Economy and Douglas Holtz-Eakin of the American Action Forum.
“The undersigned economists represent a broad swath of political and economic views. Among us are Republicans and Democrats alike. Some of us favor free markets while others have championed for a larger role for government in the economy. But on some issues there is near universal agreement. One such issue concerns the broad economic benefit that immigrants to this country bring,” the letter opens.
The letter, also sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
“Immigration undoubtedly has economic costs as well, particularly for Americans in certain industries and Americans with lower levels of educational attainment. But the benefits that immigration brings to society far outweigh their costs, and smart immigration policy could better maximize the benefits of immigration while reducing the costs,” it continues.
“We urge Congress to modernize our immigration system in a way that maximizes the opportunity immigration can bring, and reaffirms continuing the rich history of welcoming immigrants to the United States,” the economists letter concludes.
Among the signatories are Joseph Calhoun of Florida State University; Hugo J. Faria, University of Miami; Mark Flannery, University of Florida; and Cem Karayalcin, Florida International University.
Among nationally prominent signatories are Nobel Laureates Vernon Smith of Chapman University; 2002; Oliver Hart, Harvard University; Alvin E. Roth, Stanford University; Angus Deaton, Princeton University; Lars Peter Hansen, University of Chicago; and Roger Myerson, University of Chicago; George P. Schultz, former secretary of state for Reagan; James C. Miller III, former Office of Management and Budget director for Reagan; Holtz-Eakin, of George H.W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisors; Alice Rivlin, OMB director for Clinton; Glenn Hubbard, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors for George W. Bush; and Austan Goolsbee and Jason Furman, who each served as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors for Obama.
The letter cites four key advantages of immigration:
– Immigration brings entrepreneurs who start new businesses that hire American workers.
– Immigration brings young workers who help offset the large-scale retirement of baby boomers.
– Immigration brings diverse skill sets that keep our workforce flexible, help companies grow, and increase the productivity of American workers.
– And mmigrants are far more likely to work in innovative, job-creating fields such as science, technology, engineering, and math that create life-improving products and drive economic growth.
