Selectivity and diversity: the effects of U.S. immigration policy on immigrant characteristics.

Currently the policy debate focuses on selecting immigrant characteristics which augment the US labor market with the implicit assumption that family-related immigrants are of lesser worth. 4 considerations are 1) that unintended consequences also result from immigration policies 2) policy is bi-national and hence unpredictable 3) families are a cost-free support for new immigrants and 4) US policy needs to take into account its effects on sending countries. Limitations of existing data and new legislation and visa requirements are reported. The report surveys immigrants from the Philippines and Korea the 2nd and 3rd highest immigrant population in the US: the 1986 pre-departure (IDPA) from the home country and follow-up data from the Longitudinal IDPA Survey. The IDPA data represents of the 1986 cohort of new immigrants with visas. Comparison is made to a mail-survey of a representative sample of Korean and Filipinos with adjusted status in the last 6 months of 1986 (SAS). The purpose was to document selectivities in immigrant characteristics that are consequences of US immigration policy. IDPA measures are human resources economic contribution expected marital and social problems potential dissatisfaction and expected adaptation. SAS indices were human resources perceived problems and discrimination and economic contribution. Analysis is based on cross tabulations. The expected effect of US policy is that occupational preference immigrants are superior. One finding was that as intended by occupational preference visa policy the 1986 immigrant cohorts were selective on human resources and economic contribution but an unintended effect if that some family visa categories were equally selective. IDPA revealed that Koreans anticipated greater adaptive problems than Filipinos however both occupational preference visa holders were less likely to foresee problems. Post arrival occupational patterns were diverse and changes over time but both family and occupational visas held high-level skilled jobs. Of significance is that 90% of entering immigrants are family visa holders. Nepotism is good public policy. There have not been harmful economic or social consequences. The pending Kennedy-Simpson bill would continue this pattern. Diversity of the population is favored.