WASHINGTON (April 2004)—A new study from Harvard economist George Borjas and the Center for Immigration Studies examines the economic impact of increases in the number of immigrant workers by their education level and experience in the work force, using Census data from 1960 through 2000. The findings show that when immigration increases the supply of workers in a skill category, the earnings of native-born workers in that same category fall. The negative effect will occur regardless of whether the immigrant workers are legal or illegal, temporary or permanent.

Professor Borjas has been described by both Business Week and The Wall Street Journal as “America’s leading immigration economist.” His research on the economic impact of immigration is widely perceived as playing a central role in the debate over immigration policy in the United States and abroad.

CIS will sponsor a panel discussion of the findings and release the report on Tuesday, May 4, at 9:30 a.m. in the Conference Room of the National Press Club Building.

The panel will include:

• George Borjas, Professor of Economics and Social Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University;

• Jared Bernstein, Senior Economist, Economic Policy Institute;

• Robert Lerman, Senior Fellow, The Urban Institute

• Moderator Steven Camarota, Director of Research, Center for Immigration Studies.

The panel discussion is free and open to the public. For more information, contact John Keeley at jmk@cis.org or (202) 466-8185.

# # #

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institute
which examines the impact of immigration on the United States.