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 ...