Rolling up the welcome mat: why economists and voters clash over immigration

Across the rich world there’s been a backlash against immigration. Donald Trump's presidential campaign promises mass deportations of illegal immigrants from the US, while in Europe the hard-right anti-immigration AfD has made historic gains in Germany's state elections. But look past the political rhetoric and the empirical economic data points in favour of inward migration to developed countries. So why do economists love immigration, even though voters don’t? Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird. Guests: Michael Clemens of George Mason University and the Peterson Institute of International Economics; and Brian Turmail of the Associated General Contractors of America. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.