Book

The New Americans

by James P. Smith, Barry Edmonston

📖 Overview

The New Americans examines the economic, demographic, and fiscal impacts of immigration into the United States. The research presented stems from a comprehensive panel study commissioned by the National Research Council. The book analyzes immigration trends and patterns through economic modeling and statistical analysis. It explores how immigrants and their descendants integrate into American society across multiple generations, with data on education, wages, and social mobility. The work evaluates both positive and negative fiscal effects of immigration on federal, state and local governments through detailed cost-benefit calculations. Immigration's influence on native-born workers' wages and employment opportunities receives thorough examination. This empirical study contributes to immigration policy debates by providing objective data rather than anecdotal evidence. The findings present a complex picture of immigration's multifaceted effects on American society and institutions.

👀 Reviews

The New Americans appears to have limited reader reviews available online. Most discussion comes from academic sources and policy researchers rather than general readers. Readers noted: - Detailed statistical analysis and projections about immigration trends - Clear presentation of complex demographic data - Useful reference for understanding immigration's economic impacts Common criticisms: - Dense academic writing style that can be challenging to follow - Some data and projections now outdated (book published in 1997) - Focus primarily on numbers/statistics rather than human elements Available Ratings: Goodreads: No ratings Amazon: No customer reviews Google Books: No reader ratings The book is primarily cited in academic papers and policy documents rather than discussed in reader forums or review sites. Most commentary comes from immigration researchers and demographers citing it as a data source rather than reviewing it as a general interest book.

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The Good Immigrants by Madeline Y. Hsu The text examines how U.S. immigration policies shaped Asian migration and integration from 1945 to 1965.

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🤔 Interesting facts

🔹 The book was published by the National Academy Press in 1997 as part of a comprehensive study commissioned by Congress to examine the demographic, economic, and fiscal impacts of immigration in the United States. 🔹 James P. Smith, one of the authors, is a senior economist at RAND Corporation and has served as the chair of the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Immigration Statistics. 🔹 The research presented in the book shows that immigrants who arrived in the 1980s actually paid more in taxes than they received in public benefits, contrary to popular belief at the time. 🔹 The study tracked multiple generations of immigrant families, revealing that by the third generation, most immigrant families achieved economic parity with native-born Americans. 🔹 The book's findings influenced U.S. immigration policy discussions by providing the first comprehensive analysis of how immigration affects both government finances and the broader American economy.