The Truth about Immigration - by Zeke Hernandez

Book Synopsis

The go-to book on immigration: fact-based, comprehensive, and nonpartisan.

Immigration is one of the most controversial topics in the United States--and everywhere else. Pundits, politicians, and the public usually depict immigrants either as villains who pose a threat to our economy, culture, and safety, or as victims--needy outsiders whom we must help, at our own cost if necessary. But the data clearly debunk both narratives. From jobs, investment, and innovation to cultural vitality and national security, more immigration has an overwhelmingly positive impact on everything that makes a society successful.

In The Truth About Immigration, Wharton professor Zeke Hernandez draws from nearly twenty years of research to answer all the big questions about immigration. He combines moving personal stories with rigorous research to offer an accessible, apolitical, and evidence-based look at how newcomers affect our local communities and our nation. You'll learn about the overlooked impact of immigrants on investment and job creation; realize how much we take for granted the novel technologies, products, and businesses newcomers create; get the facts straight about perennial concerns like jobs, crime, and undocumented immigrants; and gain new perspectives on misunderstood issues such as the border, taxes, and assimilation.

Hernandez turns fear into hope by proving that immigrants are essential for economically prosperous and socially vibrant nations.

Review Quotes

"A highly readable, potentially influential contribution to the literature on immigration." --Kirkus (starred)

"Hernandez makes a convincing argument for rationality in the discussion of immigration...highly recommended." --Booklist (starred)

"America needs more immigrants. That's the message of this important new book by Zeke Hernandez. Cutting through the noise and misinformation that colors this debate, it marshals detailed data and moving personal stories to show how immigrants of all backgrounds and skill levels drive investment, innovation, and jobs; do essential work that Americans shy away from; create widespread economic gains; and make our cities and communities stronger and safer." --Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

"Debates about immigration are at the forefront of politics, but they're rarely informed by data. Zeke Hernandez has spent his career studying how immigrants affect our lives and our livelihoods, and his research is filled with results that will surprise both liberals and conservatives. Wherever you stand ideologically, his book will challenge you to rethink some of your views and reconsider the potential in people from foreign countries." --Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again and host of the TED podcast Re: Thinking

"The Truth About Immigration is a model of persuasive writing: a deft mix of social science data and personal stories, including the author's own . . . The essence of the economy is people interacting with each other, ' [Hernandez] writes. Those interactions, which include immigrants and locals at many levels, have driven both economic success and social equality. This is a book worth reading and pondering." --Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Pulitzer Prize Winning historian and Professor emerita, Harvard University

"In a wonderfully engaging style that combines anecdotes, personal stories, and state of the art research, Hernandez challenges the traditional narratives that portray immigrants as villains or victims. Readers will come away with a greater appreciation of their own communities and the growing body of research underlying this richly detailed book." --David Card, Winner of the Nobel Prize and Class of 1950 Professor of Economics, University of California Berkeley

"Zeke Hernandez's wonderful book makes a compelling case that we should shift our thinking about immigration away from what he calls 'unfounded fear' to 'factual optimism, ' based on research regarding innovation, cultural vitality, and the contributions of immigrants that greatly benefit the host nation. People and policy makers around the world should study this book and take in its lessons." --Guido Imbens, Winner of the Nobel Prize and Economics Professor, Stanford University

"Finally, a book that explains in detail why immigration is good for the country, and why it should be embraced. A must-read for anybody who wants their society to reach its maximum potential." --Luis von Ahn, founder and CEO, Duolingo

About the Author

Zeke Hernandez is the Max and Bernice Garchik Family Presidential Associate Professor at the Wharton School. His pioneering research linking immigration to investment and economic growth has won multiple prizes, including an unprecedented three emerging scholar awards from the top academic associations in his field. Zeke is one of the highest rated teachers at Wharton, a Poets & Quants Best business professor in the world, and one of the youngest recipients of a presidential professorship at the University of Pennsylvania. He loves his family, soccer, and meeting people from all over the world.