The Border Within

“[Examines] the costs of aggressive interior immigration enforcement tactics in the United States in human and economic terms.” —Journal of Economic Literature

For decades, immigration has been one of the most divisive topics in American politics. As the discord surrounding the modern immigration debate has intensified, border enforcement has tightened.

The Border Within examines the costs and ends of America’s interior enforcement—the policies and agencies, including ICE, aimed at removing immigrants already living in the country. Economist Tara Watson and journalist Kalee Thompson pair rigorous analysis with deeply personal stories from immigrants and their families to assess immigration’s effects on every aspect of American life, from the labor force to social welfare programs to tax revenue. What emerges is a critical, utterly complete examination of what non-native Americans bring to the country, including immigration’s tendency to elevate the wages and skills of those who are native-born.

News coverage has prompted many to question the humanity of American immigration policies; The Border Within opens a conversation of whether U.S. immigration tactics are effective. With depth and discipline, the authors dissect the shock-and-awe policies that make up a broken, often cruel system, while illuminating the lives caught in the chaos. It is an essential work with far-reaching implications for immigrants and non-immigrants alike.

“Watson and Thompson masterfully distill decades of economics research and interweave it with stories of real people.” —Kristin F. Butcher, director of the Center on Children and Families, Cabot Family Chair, and senior fellow in Economic Studies, Brookings Institution, and the Marshall I. Goldman Professor of Economics, Wellesley College

“Top-notch. . . . Highly recommended.” -Choice