Immigration Law

The United States Benefits From Immigration

The debate over the future of immigration policy in the United States is expected to become one of the most pressing issues before Congress this year. Many misconceptions regarding the impact of immigration to the United States, however, may delay the passing of laws which favor immigration.

It may come as a surprise, but the United States benefits greatly by allowing foreign nationals to live, study and work in the country. For example:

• A study released yesterday by the Public Policy Institute of California found that immigrants who arrived in the State between 1990 and 2004 increased wages of native workers by an average of 4%.
• Another study conducted by the Immigration Policy Center in Washington D.C. showed that immigrant men between the ages of 18 to 39 had an incarceration rate five times lower than people born in the United States.
• By increasing consumer demand, immigrants generate economic growth which benefits the middle-class. Immigration is also a major contributor to the expansion of Hispanic and Asian-American consumer markets, which in 2004 was estimated to make up 12% of the nation’s purchasing power.
• Immigrants in the United States also stimulate the economy by starting up new businesses and attracting investment capital from their home countries.
• Many packing houses, farmers, and companies that require employees to engage in physical labor depend on immigrant workers since there are simply not enough United States citizens who are willing and able to take those jobs. Additionally, highly skilled immigrants are a major reason for United States dominance in the fields of science and engineering.

From Immigration-Law-Answers-Blog posted 2007-02-28.