A look at the problems with current immigration policies, and outlines major reforms needed to leverage immigration and labor mobility for economic growth across the continent.
To successfully compete with other major world economies, the U.S. and Mexico need compatible immigration systems to foster mutual cooperation and facilitate the easy movement of workers to areas where they are needed most. Unfortunately the current immigration system between these countries—characterized by millions of unauthorized immigrants, expensive and often ineffective border security, and the inability for many residents of either country to work in the other—falls far short of this ideal.
This paper will address the role of Mexican immigrants in the United States, discuss the problems with current immigration policies, and outline major reforms needed to leverage immigration and labor mobility for economic growth across the continent. Not only are the lives of immigrants and the success of businesses on both sides of the border at stake, but also the economic competitiveness of North America as a whole in an increasingly competitive world economy.
