Let states tailor immigration policies to boost economic growth, says Lin

February 12, 2014

In a new Ford School Policy Points video, Ann Lin analyzes Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's plan to bring 50,000 highly skilled immigrants to the state over five years. She states that Governor Snyder's numbers are likely unrealistic under the current system and that she would rather see him work with fellow governors to promote a plan where states get to set their own priorities and select their own immigrants with approval from the federal government.

Lin explains that a well-structured state tailored plan would result in states having investment in the success of the immigrant system, and immigrants having a stake in the success of the state or province in which they get visas. She notes that this approach also " has the potential to break the logjam that's prevented immigration legislation from passing in Congress for all of these years."