In a recently published paper in Global Economy Journal, economist Robert J. Carbaugh of Central Washington University asks "Is International Trade a Substitute for Migration?":

If a goal of immigration reform is to lessen the flow of unauthorized immigrants into the U.S., could international trade be used to deter immigration rather than adopting legal barriers? The purpose of this paper is to shed some light on this question by considering the theoretical foundations and empirical research regarding the connection between trade and migration.