Study: Slow GDP growth in U.S. is tied to a lack of foreign-born workers

Published: Thursday, March 28, 2024 - 7:57am

A new study from the nonpartisan National Foundation for American Policy says the U.S. GDP is growing more slowly than it has in the past because fewer working-age immigrants are coming here. 

The study uses Census data from 2016-2022. It shows the population of young immigrants was growing at a slower rate than it did in the early 2010s. And as a result, the U.S. GDP dropped by as much as 1.3% in 2022.

The foreign-born working-age population was the only one that grew between 2021 and 2022, according to the study. The authors say the slower-growing working-age population overall means there are fewer people to produce goods, generate ideas and contribute to the country’s growth long-term. 

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