The Case for Immigration to the USA
The Economic Case for Immigration
Immigration reform has been a national priority for many years, but it has been difficult to build winning legislative coalitions. Public concern aggravated by the recession has predominantly focused on concerns about job competition, wage pressures, and the perceived social costs of illegal immigrants. Lost in this discussion is the fact that the majority of immigrants live in the United States legally, and immigrant workers contribute income, Social Security, Medicare, and sales taxes. Immigrants create new businesses and job opportunities, spur innovation, and play significant roles in both high- and low-skilled occupations such as information technology, engineering, bio-tech, medical services, construction, hospitality, and agriculture.
There is a strong economic argument that the growth and prosperity of the United States is dependent on immigrants replenishing our workforce. America will begin to age rapidly as the leading edge of the baby boom generation turns 65 in 2011. One benefit of the recent wave of immigration is the contribution immigrants have made at the younger end of the age spectrum. This “younging” of the population will continue to help the economy grow by providing new workers, new home buyers, and new citizens as more Americans live longer.
There is also economic consideration to resolving the controversial issues of border security and the path to legalization. Quite simply, emphasizing only border security and deportation will result in huge Federal expenditures and depress the economy as businesses lose essential workers. On the other hand, solutions that take a comprehensive approach matching security with work place enforcement and a path for legal entry and work will increase wages, tax revenues, and economic growth.
http://pfnyc.org/reports/2010-09-Economic%20Case_For_Immigration.pdf
Immigration reform has been a national priority for many years, but it has been difficult to build winning legislative coalitions. Public concern aggravated by the recession has predominantly focused on concerns about job competition, wage pressures, and the perceived social costs of illegal immigrants. Lost in this discussion is the fact that the majority of immigrants live in the United States legally, and immigrant workers contribute income, Social Security, Medicare, and sales taxes. Immigrants create new businesses and job opportunities, spur innovation, and play significant roles in both high- and low-skilled occupations such as information technology, engineering, bio-tech, medical services, construction, hospitality, and agriculture.
There is a strong economic argument that the growth and prosperity of the United States is dependent on immigrants replenishing our workforce. America will begin to age rapidly as the leading edge of the baby boom generation turns 65 in 2011. One benefit of the recent wave of immigration is the contribution immigrants have made at the younger end of the age spectrum. This “younging” of the population will continue to help the economy grow by providing new workers, new home buyers, and new citizens as more Americans live longer.
There is also economic consideration to resolving the controversial issues of border security and the path to legalization. Quite simply, emphasizing only border security and deportation will result in huge Federal expenditures and depress the economy as businesses lose essential workers. On the other hand, solutions that take a comprehensive approach matching security with work place enforcement and a path for legal entry and work will increase wages, tax revenues, and economic growth.
http://pfnyc.org/reports/2010-09-Economic%20Case_For_Immigration.pdf
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