Why Removing Barriers to Labor Mobility Could Lift Millions from Poverty
A Labor Day column argues that easing immigration, zoning and licensing rules would boost incomes for workers worldwide and spur economic growth.
In a Labor Day essay, the author claims that the most effective reform for helping poor workers is to increase labor mobility, both internationally and within the United States. He notes that immigration limits keep people in countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan in persistent poverty, while exclusionary zoning and occupational licensing restrict Americans from moving to higher-pay areas. Economists are quoted as estimating that removing legal migration barriers could roughly double world GDP, and that domestic reforms would likewise raise growth and innovation.
The article criticizes recent Supreme Court rulings and the Trump Administration’s immigration and tariff policies for harming migrants and native workers alike. It urges political advocacy and litigation to dismantle these obstacles, arguing that freer movement benefits both migrants and native-born citizens without the zero-sum tradeoffs of many redistribution proposals.
Why it matters
Expanding labor mobility could raise living standards for millions and drive broader economic growth.
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