US

Immigration and Innovation

Over the past two years, all else equal, the appeal of the US as a destination for immigrants has changed in ways that will likely decrease innovation in the US economy.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
The US has become not just less open to immigrants, but less open full stop. It's bad news for innovation & for the future of institutions.
Alesina
Alberto Alesina
Harvard
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Baicker
Katherine Baicker
University of Chicago
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Very little credible is known about migration and innovation. I tend to believe it, but unlike with most IGM questions, it is just intuition
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Chetty
Raj Chetty
Harvard
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Deaton
Angus Deaton
Princeton
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Strongly Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Agree
2
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Finkelstein
Amy Finkelstein
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Goolsbee
Austan Goolsbee
Chicago
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Hall
Robert Hall
Stanford
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
The US remains the most attractive place for innovators. No change in appeal for foreigners. But possibly harder for them to enter.
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Immigrants contribute disproportionately to innovation. Racism in the U.S. may well deter immigrants but U.K. less hospitable too.
Holmström
Bengt Holmström
MIT
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford
Uncertain
10
Bio/Vote History
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
8
Bio/Vote History
Appeal is still very high. However, ability to attract talented immigrants has declined because of misguided implementation.
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
certainly we will reduce immigrants and that will reduce all kinds of activity, though magnitudes are hard to know.
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
The rhetoric is awful and the policy environment is toxic, but the US still offers extraordinary opportunity.
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Long causal chain and probably very small effect.
Saez
Emmanuel Saez
Berkeley
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
A great asset of the US, though lately diminished, has been the ability to attract the best minds from throughout the world.
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Strongly Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Agree
2
Bio/Vote History
If the number of immigrants is constant, loss of appeal means fewer who can choose their destination, so perhaps a less innovative mix.
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard
Uncertain
2
Bio/Vote History
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History