A new “fact sheet” from the American Immigration Council peddles the shopworn argument that the U.S. economy needs more immigrants. In fact, AIC is spreading dangerous myths that defy logic and undercut American workers.
“There is no direct correlation between immigration and unemployment,” the immigration promoters proclaim.
Try shopping that trope in Realityville, where most Americans live.
Here are four fundamental facts:
- A record 95 million working-age Americans are out of the job market. Many of those millions have been pushed out by stagnating wages depressed by low-cost imported labor and diminished opportunities, particularly on the lower rungs of the economic ladder.
- From 2000-2014, all of the net increase in U.S. employment effectively went to immigrants.
- While AIC plumps for looser immigration laws, it ignores the fact that 11 million working-age immigrants are not working. So much for the notion that immigrants bring skills that are in high demand by U.S. employers.
- The ongoing, massive influx of immigrants comes at increasing cost to the public. In the past two years, Los Angeles County issued $1.3 billion in welfare payments to illegal immigrants, nearly one-quarter of its total payouts.
Open-border enthusiasts at AIC tout “welcoming” immigration policies ranging from sanctuary cities, to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), to a host of skilled- and unskilled-work permits that can lead to green cards (permanent residence). These programs have facilitated a record inflow of migrants – legal and illegal.
So what’s not to like? Corporate chieftains get more consumers and politicians can pander for more votes. Inside their gated communities, financial and cultural elites – like those at AIC — hire inexpensive maids and dirt-cheap landscapers while enjoying ever-expanding menus of trendy ethnic cuisine.
Meantime, more American workers are pink-slipped and John Q. Taxpayer gets fleeced. The economic chasm between rich and poor widens to Gilded Age proportions and the middle class shrinks under the onslaught.
Looking ahead, automation will make the continued importation of low- and semi-skilled labor inefficient, counterproductive and burdensome.
AIC doesn’t acknowledge any of this in its fact sheet. Rather, the council advocates doubling down on bad policies while bringing “cutting-edge lawsuits” on behalf of immigrants. As always, follow the money.
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An Atlantic Monthly article that shows that most economists’ thinking that an increased influx of immigrants provides more jobs for Americans is FALSE and does harm jobs for US workers and the economy:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/01/does-immigration-harm-working-americans/384060/
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DEFDC1430F934A15750C0A9609C8B63
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/03/27/notes-on-immigration/
The Conscience Of A Liberal–Paul Krugman
“First, the benefits of immigration to the population already here are small.”
” But as Mr. Hanson explains in his paper, reasonable calculations suggest that we’re talking about very small numbers, perhaps as little as 0.1 percent of GDP.
“My second negative point is that immigration reduces the wages of domestic workers who compete with immigrants. That’s just supply and demand…
“Finally, the fiscal burden of low-wage immigrants is also pretty clear. ”
Also, it is patently untrue that “immigrants” are the solution to low rate of start-ups:
http://smallbiztrends.com/2015/01/immigration-reform-declining-start-rate.html
The Liberal Case AGAINST Illegal Immigration:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/25/the-liberal-case-against-illegal-immigration.html
This is the Progressive Case AGAINST Illegal Immigration:
http://www.salon.com/2015/03/01/the_1_percents_immigration_con_how_big_business_adds_to_income_inequality_pits_workers_against_each_other/
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/03/27/notes-on-immigration/
The Conscience Of A Liberal–Paul Krugman
“First, the benefits of immigration to the population already here are small.
” But as Mr. Hanson explains in his paper, reasonable calculations suggest that we’re talking about very small numbers, perhaps as little as 0.1 percent of GDP.
“My second negative point is that immigration reduces the wages of domestic workers who compete with immigrants. That’s just supply and demand…
“Finally, the fiscal burden of low-wage immigrants is also pretty clear. ”
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DEFDC1430F934A15750C0A9609C8B63
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/immigrants-different-audacity-hope/2014/11/17/id/607937/
Report: Obama’s Book Says Illegals Can Hurt Americans
http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2014/11/didnt-anyone-in-the-hispanic-media-read-obamas-book-2936030.html
Didn’t anyone in the Hispanic media read Obama’s book? Or listen to when he speaks?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idvRtDDPl_4
Barack Obama in his own words from “The Audacity of Hope”
– Illegal Immigration hurts Black Americans and Blue Collared Workers
Video Not Working? I wonder why?!? Here’s an Audio Link:
http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/16/shock-flashback-obama-says-illegal-immigration-hurts-blue-collar-americans-strains-welfare-video/
As always you are polluting these blogs….nowadays besides the internet we have our brains as usual use it reason n say something useful….not articles you didn’t write n Trust….. hahahaha!!!
Donnie 330M our population some work, some do welfare some don’t pay taxes some criminals etc…..illegals 20-30M illegals most of them the work. Some pay taxes done criminals, humanitarian population ?M people most are handed fribies some are real needed, corporations outsourcing the jobs, gov officials milking the system, pensions of all types abuses n .,……bringing Indians here etc, Military Budget bigger than anything else, legal immigration same…….etc etc etc
Now correlate all if the above = illegals the good ones A DROP IN THE BUCKET….
Kenric Congratulations on your Pulitzer winnings just noticed that!…if you could put together an article as per my above feedback applying catharsis without …bias….that would tell us our reality.
It is clear we need immigration reform to enforce the existing status quo n fix this the American way. But nobody really outs the facts as per above to really see n realize we are being deceived n the real issue is still the same….. greed…..n not love to our land n Future generations where it ought to be n.