Do Local Immigration Regulations Boost Local Economies? Study Suggests the Opposite.

With the controversy surrounding Arizona’s SB 1070 and surrounding immigration issues in general, a common topic of conversation has become what role local governments have in enforcing immigration law and which parts must be left to the federal government.

Setting aside the arguments about whether local governments even have the power to enforce immigration laws, the Washington Post’s Ezra Klein examines what the practical effect of local enforcement measures are having on local economies.

Klein cites a study by Huyen Pham and Pham Hoang Van which finds that local county and municipal attempts to regulate immigration have a net negative effect on the local economies.  The study suggests that local governments should carefully consider the potential negative economic impact of local regulations before enacting them.

For Klein’s post on the issue, click here.  For an abstract of Pham and Van’s study, click here.