ABSTRACT
This chapter explores what are the economic effects of immigration and is the "rainbow" coalition position of many black leaders—one that, it is argued, leads to muting opposition to immigration restrictions—actually counter to the broad aims of improving the lot of African Americans in the United States. It discusses these questions with a particular focus on what might be termed a true "hotspot" of the debate: undocumented immigration in one of the most rap-idly changing states in the Union: California. The chapter reviews research findings on how immigration in general influences the employment and earnings of African Americans. It estimates the size and location of the unauthorized Mexican immigrant labor force in California and considers whether this labor force is in competition with African Americans. The geographic pattern suggests that there are few displacement effects but an occupational analysis does suggest some competition when there are exceptionally high numbers of undocumented migrants in the same field.
