Dr. Jon Haveman kicks off the six-part First Friday Forum speaker series when he addresses America’s immigration issues during his PowerPoint presentation at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian campus on Jan 3.
The Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC) continues its excellent First Friday Forum series this year with a subject that is very much on everyone’s mind just weeks away from the start of President-Elect Donald Trump’s second term in office.
Kicking off the LOPC’s series on Jan. 3 is economist, consultant, author and media commentator, Jon Haveman, Ph.D., who will speak about “The Economics of Migration.”
In addition to being widely quoted in The Economist, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more, Haveman is often featured on CBS Channel 5, San Francisco, and is regularly interviewed on KCBS-AM and KQED public radio.
Haveman, widely considered to be one of California’s leading experts on the economics of seaports, goods movement and international trade policy, holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan.
He is also the executive director of the non-partisan National Economic Education Delegation and a principal with Marin Economic Consulting, a boutique consultancy providing reports to government agencies and economic development organizations, as well as providing expert witness services in legal proceedings.
As anyone who was paying attention during the run up to the country’s 2024 presidential election will know that America’s incoming president promised a sweeping overhaul of U.S. immigration policy by declaring a national emergency. He also promised to launch “the largest deportation program in American history,” targeting millions of undocumented immigrants that would surely redefine “the nation’s approach to newcomers,” according to Time Magazine.
With this in mind, Haveman will shed light on several aspects of immigration that he says, “tend to overwhelm the narrative,” such as crime, government support programs and jobs, and will also raise other issues that he says, “ought to be contemplated when developing appropriate immigration policy.”
His presentation will also touch on some of the 47th President’s major policy proposals and their impact on the economy, including tariffs, deportations and cutting government spending.
But first Haveman will challenge his audience with a quiz. To help our readers go straight to the top of the class, here’s a headstart on the questions and answers:
How long has the average undocumented immigrant lived in the United States?
A. Three months. B: Two years. C:10 years. D: 25 years (Answer is C)
What percentage of kids born to immigrants are high-income earners?
A:15%? B:21%? C:28%? Or D?: 35% (Answer is D)
Native-born Americans receive $8,000 on average in benefits. What is it for immigrants?
Answer: $6,000
All six First Friday Forum presentations (Jan. through June) are free and located at LOPC, 49 Knox Dr., Lafayette, at 1:30 p.m. on the first Friday of the month, with simultaneous streaming. More information is available online at LOPC.org/first-friday-forum/, along with a collection of previous presentations.
