The Effect of Illegal Immigration on the US Economy Essay

Throughout the history of the United States immigration has become apart of our country’s fabric which, began centuries ago. Only to become a hot topic in the US in recent years with its primary focus being illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration is when people enter a country without government permission. As of 2008 the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that there are 11 million illegal immigrants in the US which is down from 2007‘s 12.5 million people. Although the Center for Immigration Studies estimates are very different from other estimates that range from 7 to 20 million. While the Pew Hispanic Center estimated in March of 2009 there are 11.1 million illegal immigrants and that number is from March 2007’s peak of 12

According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (a non-profit group that opposes illegal immigration), the cost of treating illegal aliens’ amounted to nearly $11 billion in 2009. However, the HRI (Health Research Institute) reported that the government spent approximately $2.2 trillion on United States citizens in 2009. Although there are more citizens in the country than illegal aliens, the amount of money spent on illegal aliens appear

What the illegal aliens want are jobs that will potentially give them a higher wage in comparison to the country they came from. To effectively weigh whether providing health care to immigrants should be considered a right or privilege, one would have to consider how much they contribute to economic growth. A Pew study from last year showed that undocumented immigrants add 600,000 to 700,000 new consumers to the economy every year. Since consumption makes up 70 percent of economic activity in the U.S., this is important (and of course, more consumption means more sales tax revenue). Immigration is also expected to account for one-forth of the Census Bureau’s estimated labor force growth through 2012. Some economic estimates gauge that undocumented immigrants contribute $22 billion, in total, to the economy each year—a number that would increase if they were given the opportunity to become legal (Karvounis, 2007). This evidence suggests that illegal aliens are actually giving back to the nation by doing all of the dirty, low-income jobs and are only using approximately $11 billion in health care and they are contributing about $22 billion a year to the economy. Although these illegals only using half of what they give, they contribute more then what they use.

The United States began its immigration policy soon after it won independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776. For over two hundred and forty years ago.

Undocumented immigrants refer to “people who presently possess no proof of any right to be present in the United States, whether or not they have been declared deportable by the US government (and the vast majority have not)” (Lyon, 2004, p581). According to the United States Census Bureau there are approximately eight to eleven million undocumented immigrants residing in the United States (Porter, 2006). Each year, approximately 500,000 more arrive without legal documentation. The number of undocumented immigrants now exceeds the number of documented immigrant arrivals. The majority of the undocumented immigrants arrive from Mexico (57 to 70%) and Latin America (23 to 24%), with a smaller number from Europe and Canada (5 to 6 %

The US labor force would not survive if it was not for illegal immigrants. If there were no illegal immigrants our labor force would decrease by four percent (Isidore 5). “We could not have grown as much as we did in the 1990s if we did not have immigrants… our growth would have been slower (Isidore 5).” Having illegal immigrants in our labor force increases the amount of resources we have, which increases the amount of production in the country. “Some economists discuss that not only do U.S. consumers benefit from lower prices as an outcome of the low wages most immigrants are paid, but that the convenience of lower-wage labor helps create more work for higher-skilled, higher-paid workers who are generally born in the US (Isidore 14).” Illegal immigrants are opening up higher wage jobs, because they take over the lower wage jobs. Many immigrants take jobs in the field of construction, agriculture

The costs associated with providing education, health care, and social service programs such as reduced school lunch and other anti-poverty programs like SNAP and WIC account for only a small portion of a states budget. Providing education for undocumented immigrant children only constitutes for 3.3% of the total cost, $520-535 billion, spent annually to educate all children in the U.S. (Becerra et al., 2012)

Thousands of illegal immigrants smuggle themselves across the United States border each day. The Immigration and Naturalization Service, or the INS, concluded that the United States is currently a place to call home for a population of approximately twelve million illegal immigrants (Hayes 16). An American who has never been to Mexico, for example, may wonder why these people risk their lives to live in the United States. With the jobs, education, welfare, and unemployment compensation the American government has to offer, the United States appears as a lifeboat for these poor and uneducated immigrants (Hayes 16). The American dream is what all citizens of the United States strive to achieve. Everyone wants to get an education, a

In the article “Illegal Immigrants Do Not Harm America's Economy” the authors, Brian, Grow, et al used issues to portray current illegal circumstances in American, the situations which demonstrated the necessity of undocumented aliens. Although, the articles lacks of evidence from the other side, but it had a well organized structure and logical supporting evidence; however, the writers did create a remarkable view at the illegal refugees’ benefits on the economy for the others.

In “Illegal Immigrants Do Not Harm America’s Economy,” Brian Grow and his colleagues, reporters for Business Week, argue that rather than damaging it, illegal immigrants actually help the economy by paying taxes and advancing general economic growth. The writers are responding to claims that illegal immigrants receive unwarranted negative attention for supposed drains on public services. They also address the fact that, despite possible legal ramifications, companies hire undocumented workers in higher numbers than ever before while the government seems to turn a blind eye. They speak of depressed wages, increased spending, and ambivalent government policies. Grow and the other writers try to

A standout amongst the most intense discussions all over the United States these days is the topic of immigration. Immigration is the activity of coming to live permanently in another nation. In particularly, there are a huge number of issues surrounding unauthorized immigrants who remain in America. As a rule, the media likes to celebrate the negative parts of this issue to advance their own plan and outlook on the subject. In fact, illegal immigrants are not harming our economy in any way. These people really represent a critical support in the economy no matter how you look at it. Unauthorized immigrants have appeared to support the wages of the white-collar class families, do not profit from government welfare programs, they pay taxes on everything that they buy, contribute assorted qualities, and frequently are the source of the unfavorable hard working jobs.

Illegal immigrants help boost the United States economy by paying some taxes. Like American citizens, illegal immigrants may pay local, state, and federal taxes including sales tax that helps support government services that they may not be able to access (Ewing 9). Since more American citizens are becoming aware of the benefits of an education, openings are being created for illegal immigrants in low paying jobs (Nadadur 1037-1052). Americans, unlike illegal immigrants, have more diverse careers. Aliens are more concentrated in specific job areas, resulting in a decrease in immigrant labor cost. This helps boost the United States’ economy (Carter 777-795). Of the approximate eleven million illegal immigrants in the U.S., most work in labor intensive jobs. Careers such as construction and agriculture tend to attract illegal aliens and they account for about twenty-five percent of the work force in these areas (Ewing 9). Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve admits that illegal immigrants help improve the United States economy and does not suggest turning them away (qtd. in Quindlen 90). Anna Quindlen, in her article “Newcomers By Numbers,” agrees with Bernanke and believes that immigrants are the factor that helps keep prices low. She also adds that immigrants are not causing American citizens unemployment, but are simply taking the low wage jobs that citizens are not willing to do and even boosting the economy (90).

Throught out its history, the United States has been renowned as a santuary for immigrants from all over the world. People from all walks of life have migrated to our nation’s shores in search of the autonomous “American Dream” which ıs vıewed as endless freedoms and economıc opprtunıtıes. In recent years however, the ıncreasıng number of ıllegal ımmıgrants ın our country has been somewhat alaramıng. Immıgratıon experts and scholars have come together to dıscuss the ıssue of ıllegal ımmıgrants and theır contrıbutıon to the U.S economy, whether posıtıve or negatıve. Polıtıcıans and legıslators have also come together ın recent years to see how to effectıvely deal wıth thıs ıssue of ımmıgartıon. Illegal Immıgratıon raıses concerns on the U.S ecomony and the country as a whole on wether or not Illegal Immigrants are contributing more than they cost to have them here in the states. In this reaserch paper, I will discuss how illegal immigrants contribute positively to the united states economy. I will show how they are vital to the agrculture sector, how they are great consumers and how they contribute more in taxes than withdraw in social services. Immigartion is not an economic concern but also a national security issue. Sınce the attacks on the World Trade Center ın 2001, new polıcıes have been enacted to strıctly monıtor the flow of ıllegal

The subject of illegal migration into the United States is a very controversial and challenging issue; but overall America’s systematic approach for regulating illegal immigrants entering our country has failed. It pertains to millions of individuals and families journeying to the bulls-eye country of America without proper documentation; but it also consists of people entering the country legally, but they violate the terms of their approved visas and passports by permanently residing here, rather than the allotted time frame they’re given. Amazing enough, The Federation For American Immigration Reform or better known as FAIR, estimated that in 2007, “the illegal immigrant population seated well above 13 million people.” Also considering

How Do Immigrants Effect Our Economy The United States is often referred to as the melting pot. It is a country of immigrants and a place where many people from all over the work come to build themselves a better life. Though that is not always the case. Immigration seems to have always been a political issue. Some people believe help build our economy while others believe they may be a threat.