ABSTRACT
The last two decades witnessed unprecedented levels of global migration, much of it unauthorized, from developing to developed countries. Unexpected movements of people created regional tensions, exacerbated economic and social problems in host countries, taxed international humanitarian support systems, and created what some refer to as compassion fatigue in many receiving countries. The bipartisan Commission for the Study of International Migration and Cooperative Economic Development was created to address the push factors that motivate unauthorized immigration to the United States from western hemisphere countries. The Commission is concerned that the pace and pressure of events in Eastern Europe will consume official US attention at the expense of development efforts south of US borders. The Commission makes numerous recommendations aimed at stimulating economic growth and job creation in sending countries. It emphasizes that appropriate adjustments in certain US economic policies are essential to sending countries' ability to achieve sustained economic growth, particularly in the trade sector.
