How Migration Really Works

October 2, 2023
De Haas (Age of Migration), a professor of sociology at the University of Amsterdam, argues in this meticulous survey that the widespread assumption that today is an era of “unprecedented mass migration” is wrong. In fact, he notes, for the last 60 years, international migration as a percentage of world population has been relatively low and unchanged. Drawing on extensive empirical research, de Haas debunks 22 such “migration myths,” arguing along the way that migration is neither a significant problem nor a solution to such concerns as demographic aging. Each chapter describes a myth and provides counterevidence. For example, de Haas picks apart the assertion that “immigration undermines the welfare state” in developed countries by citing studies showing that people do not migrate to obtain welfare benefits, that the fiscal cost of immigrants is relatively small compared to GDP, and that undocumented immigrants are net contributors to the welfare system through their tax payments. Throughout, de Haas considers a range of issues, including whether border restrictions reduce immigration (they don’t), the prevalence of sex trafficking (highly exaggerated), and the impact of climate change on migration (it will be minimal). That de Haas assesses each myth in a similar way and in a list-like format makes for a somewhat repetitious but still highly informative account. Immigration advocates will want to take a look.