George J. Borjas Quotes

United States, Economist
October 15, 1950

George Jesus Borjas is an American economist and the Robert W. Scrivner Professor of Economics and Social Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. He has been described as "America’s leading immigration economist" and "the leading sceptic of immigration among economists". He has been described as an "immigration skeptic". Borjas has published a number of studies that conclude that low-skilled immigration adversely affects low-skilled natives , a proposition that is debated among economists.

Being without work in the United States is still far better for most people than being employed in Central America.

George J. Borjas
- Work
- Better
- Employed
Within this very myopic perspective, immigrants fill the labor slots that need filling, and those foreign-born workers play no other role in our country’s cultural, political, social, or economic life. Our children’s schools are unaffected, the welfare state is untouched, the balance of political power is unchanged.

George J. Borjas
- Country
- Role
- Immigrants

Donald Trump announced his presidential bid in June 2015, he made some comments that resulted in a political firestorm. Among the least incendiary of those comments was this statement: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. . . . They’re sending people that have lots of problems.

George J. Borjas
- People
- Problems
- Mexico
Employer sanctions can be a very efficient tool if enforced. The problem is the way the law reads, it's basically a joke. It basically gives employers a huge loophole to walk through.

George J. Borjas
- Law
- Employers
- Loophole
What immigration really does is redistribute wealth away from workers toward employers.

George J. Borjas
Why would employers care if immigration didn't affect wages?

George J. Borjas
- Affect
- Wages
- Employers
There's a huge redistribution away from workers to people who use immigrants. ... That's what people are arguing about.

George J. Borjas