9146: Immigration response to Durban (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Lance Durban <lpdurban@yahoo.com>

  A couple of week's ago Corbetters may recall my posting
berating Nobel laureate Gary Becker's Business Week column
wherein he had advocated a selective opening of the U.S. borders
to aspiring immigrants from the third world as a way of
'helping' the third world with their population pressures.  My
concern was that the developped world would quite naturally
'select' the best and and brightest from places like Haiti....
something we are already seeing with the outflow of Haitian
brains to French-speaking Quebec! 
  I forwarded a copy of my Corbett posting to this University of
Chicago professor and here is what he had to say.  Particularly
interesting is that third paragraph...


Dear Mr.Durban:

Thank you for your email concerning immigration into the United
States. I do indeed advocate that the U.S. should try to select
the best applicants rather than simply a random sample of
applicants. This may adversely effect the economies from which
they come and businesses like yours. That is unfortunate, but my
goal is to improve U.S. immigration policy, and to give capable
persons the opportunity to work where their skill would be most
appreciated. 

Other nations need to improve their own economic environment in
order to raise opportunities for their able people. The
experience of countries like Taiwan, South Korea, and others is
that many of their best people return home after the economic
environment becomes more hospitable. Most persons prefer to
remain where they grow up, but bad economic policies can drive
them out. 

I am no expert on Haiti, but my impression from casual reading
is that the Haitian government could greatly improve its
economic and other policies. Once it does that, I predict a
reduction in outward immigration, even if income continues to be
substantially below those in the U.S.

You raised very important issues that require a more extended
discussion. 

With best wishes.

Sincerely,

Gary Becker 



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