The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) hosted a panel to discuss the importance of immigration numbers, legal and illegal, and their impact on wages, the labor market, and the future of the American workforce. This timely panel, "Beyond the Border: Why Legal Immigration Numbers Matter," builds on the social media debate sparked by Elon Musk’s recent comment highlighting the need for more legal immigration and seeks to heighten awareness of the impact of legal immigration – both high-skilled and low-skilled.

Host

Mark Krikorian is the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies.

Guests

Introduction by: Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas)

Steven Camarota, Director of Research, CIS (slides)

Michael Lind, Fellow at New America and author of, among others, Hell to Pay: How the Suppression of Wages is Destroying America.

Hal Salzman, Rutgers University, specializing in STEM labor markets and workforce development. (slides)

Related

Panel Press Release

Panel Transcript

Panel Video 

Steven Camarota's Presentation

Hal Salzman's Presentation

Oped by Hal Salzman: Two Simple Reforms Can Make H-1B Visas Great Again

Intro Montage

Voices in the opening montage:

• Sen. Barack Obama at a 2005 press conference.
• Sen. John McCain in a 2010 election ad.
• President Lyndon Johnson, upon signing the 1965 Immigration Act.
• Booker T. Washington, reading in 1908 from his 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech.
• Laraine Newman as a "Conehead" on SNL in 1977.
• Hillary Clinton in a 2003 radio interview.
• Cesar Chavez in a 1974 interview.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking to reporters in 2019.
• Prof. George Borjas in a 2016 C-SPAN appearance.
• Sen. Jeff Sessions in 2008 comments on the Senate floor.
• Charlton Heston in "Planet of the Apes".