The U.S. has benefited from illegal immigrants, most economists say, though some low-skilled workers have been hurt.Posted on 05/01/2006 8:28:35 AM PDT by blueberry12
The U.S. has benefited from illegal immigrants, most economists say, though some low-skilled workers have been hurt.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - In the heated debate over the impact of illegal immigration on the U.S. economy, Andrew Sum is one of those focusing on the negative.
The economist - the director of labor market studies at Northeastern University in Boston - argues that the large supply of immigrants has displaced low-skilled U.S.-born workers, particularly the young and the poor, from jobs.
"About 85.5 of every 100 new workers are new immigrants in this decade," he said. "At no time in the last 60 years have we come close to this. They're really displacing young workers at a very high rate."
But even Sum would concede that the U.S. economy is larger, and growing faster, due to the supply of illegal immigrants, and that most Americans with higher job skills are better off for their presence.
"Without the immigrants, we would have a decline in labor force of 3 to 4 percent," he said. "We couldn't have grown nearly as much as we did in the '90s if we didn't have immigrants. And in the last few years our growth would have been slower. The only thing I've argued is that we've ignored that illegal immigration has put a lot of young adults into economic jeopardy."
Sum's views point out the dichotomy that many economists see when looking at the impact of immigration on the economy.
Few economists will argue with the concept that the economy is stronger for the presence of the low-cost labor force.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
I think this is Justice at work.
No, it is a boon to corporations and companies who use them, but a HUGE LOSS TO THE TAXPAYER OF ABOUT $100-$120 BILLION per year, to say nothing of the loss of soverignty, the mockery of our system of laws and our Constitution, and our borders have become a sick party joke.
Thank You Washington, DC for this gift to the REAL American citizen.
If the flood of illegals is allowed to continue, young Americans with only a high school diploma (or less) are going to find it increasingly difficult to find jobs.
The country is more than an economy. There are social costs as well, like law enforcement, for example. Trying to monetize these costs would be pretty difficult.
The old, "Illegals are here and the economy is good so illegals MUST be good for the economy!" BS.
The stock market likes having illegals sit this one out---the DOW up 45 as of now.
If true, we should totally open our borders. Then we could become many times richer. Right?
The illegals pay for law enforcement.
Where do you think these illegals live? They pay rent, and house owners pay property taxes. And where does that property tax go?
Many folks here live in a dream world. All you think is that illegals are parasites. They are not!
I attempted to get a job in Europe after my Masters Degree... no such luck.
I heard the following: "Our jobs are for our citizens. Get the hell out of here - get lost."
We need to play by those European rules.
"most economists say"
Wow,they actually did a survey of ALL economists?
Didn't think so.
Tell that to the taxpayers of Butler County, OH who, last I heard, had 900 illegals in their lock-up.
As a capitalist, I believe that the more people work the better it is. We need to focus more on productivity. The more people we have in the country working, the better it is going to be for all of us!
I am going to need the services of a tree service shortly. Most tree services that I have used in the past have had Mexicans working for them. They work hard and do the job well. I do not know if any of them are illegal or are resident aliens or what their status is in the United States. That information is known to the tree service company.
When I contract out for this tree removal (Which I need to have cut down and the stump ground) I will ask the several companies if all of the workers are legally able to work in the United States. Of course most of them will say yes but the point is that if regular Joe American starts asking questions to these companies that regular homeowners are hiring, maybe these company owners will get the point that Americans care about their Country.
This is kind of similar to the "Made in America" logo-slogan a while back.
That's what they said about the Cubans and other Hispanics in Miami/So. Fla. and it didn't happen. There will be plenty of jobs for those of low intelligence.
We need to play by those European rules.
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Agreed. It is like the stark contrast of Mexico's immigration laws, compared to ours...(large laugh in background)...the citizens of this country are going to have to take their destiny in their own hands -- Washington is virtually useless and spends the majority of its time taking rights and freedoms away from us, all to benefit their politics and agendas.
"The country is more than an economy. There are social costs as well, like law enforcement, for example. Trying to monetize these costs would be pretty difficult."
El país es más que una economía. Hay costes sociales también, como la aplicación de ley, por ejemplo. El intentar monetize estos costes sería bastante difícil.
"If the flood of illegals is allowed to continue, young Americans with only a high school diploma (or less) are going to find it increasingly difficult to find jobs."
Si la inundación de illegals se permite continuar, los americanos jóvenes con solamente un diploma de la High School secundaria (o menos) van a encontrarlo cada vez más difícil de encontrar trabajos.
"The old, "Illegals are here and the economy is good so illegals MUST be good for the economy!" BS."
El viejos, "Illegals están aquí y la economía es buena así que los illegals DEBEN ser buenos para la economía!" BS.
And then one day we will have 1 billion people below the poverty level, we will have no middle class and we will be Communist.
Many of these so-called property tax payers you state are actually setting up cubicals in these houses where they stuff in as many illegals as they can fit. And if you think these same "landlords" are reporting this to Uncle Sam and paying taxes on these "rents" they receive, you are sadly mistaken.
The Europeans play by socialist rules. Did you know that?
You want a Socialist America? I am afraid you will get what you wish...
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