Immigration in a Changing Economy

Steadily increasing immigration to California over the past thirty years has profoundly affected the state. Some observers of these changes see the extreme diversity of California’s population as the harbinger of where the nation is headed in the long term. Others see California as the symbol of a major backlash against immigrants and immigration. How has California benefited from immigration? What impact have immigrants had on the state’s job market? How have they affected the demand for federal and state services? What has been their education and economic progress since their arrival? This book summarizes the findings of a comprehensive study fully documented in Immigration in a Changing Economy: California’s Experience, by Kevin F. McCarthy and Georges Vernez. Using a question-and-answer framework, it discusses the impact immigration has had on the state’s demography, economy, people, and institutions, drawing lessons for California’s future as well as for other states and the nation.