# Do Immigrants Affect Economic Institutions? Evidence from the American States 

Standard economic models predict large economic gains from liberalized immigration. However, those models assume that immigrants would have no effect on the causes of economic prosperity in destination countries.

July 2023 • Public Affairs Quarterly Vol. 37 No. 3 

By [Alex Nowrasteh](https://www.cato.org/people/alex-nowrasteh), Michael Howard, and [Andrew C. Forrester](https://www.cato.org/people/andrew-forrester) 

##### About the Authors 

[![nowrasteh_cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/nowrasteh_cropped.jpg?itok=uGYxzEPS)](/people/alex-nowrasteh) 

##### [Alex Nowrasteh](/people/alex-nowrasteh)

Senior Vice President for Policy, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://x.com/AlexNowrasteh) [ 

](mailto:anowrasteh@cato.org) 

![michael-howard-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2022-03/michael-howard-cropped.jpg?itok=BF5GqikG) 

##### Michael Howard 

Independent Researcher

[![Media Name: forrester-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/authors/crops/forrester-cropped.jpg?itok=_rvN6j2f)](/people/andrew-forrester) 

##### [Andrew C. Forrester](/people/andrew-forrester)

Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute