The chapter explores how refugees in the US excel compared to other countries, attributing their success to local ethnic communities rather than government support. It discusses a study on refugees and economic immigrants from Europe and their English proficiency, highlighting the differences in assimilation incentives between the two groups. Additionally, it debunks the myth of Ellis Island officials changing immigrants' names and discusses the impact of immigration laws on the US economy.
How did a nation of immigrants come to hate immigration? We start at the beginning, sort through the evidence, and explain why your grandfather was lying about Ellis Island. (Part one of a three-part series.)
- SOURCES:
- Leah Boustan, professor of economics at Princeton University.
- Zeke Hernandez, professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Roger Nam, professor of Hebrew Bible at Emory University.
- RESOURCES:
- The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers, by Zeke Hernandez (2024, available for pre-order).
- "The Refugee Advantage: English-Language Attainment in the Early Twentieth Century," by Ran Abramitzky, Leah Platt Boustan, Peter Catron, Dylan Connor, and Rob Voigt (NBER Working Paper, 2023).
- Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success, by Leah Boustan and Ran Abramitzky (2022).
- "If Liberals Won't Enforce Borders, Fascists Will," by David Frum (The Atlantic, 2019).