The USA Could Fix The Illegal Immigration Problem With One Law

Some thoughts on illegal immigration.

When analyzed from the vantage point of information derived from reputable, nonpartisan sources (the Pew Research Center, USDA, United States Department of Labor, and leading economists and researchers) then one can obtain a clearer view of this muddled discussion. The truth of the matter is that illegal immigrants are important to the U.S. economy, as well as vital to certain industries like agriculture.

According to the Pew Research Hispanic Trends Project, there were 8.4 million unauthorized immigrants employed in the U.S.; representing 5.2 percent of the U.S. labor force (an increase from 3.8 percent in 2000). Their importance was highlighted in a report by Texas Comptroller Susan Combs that stated, “Without the undocumented population, Texas’ work force would decrease by 6.3 percent” and Texas’ gross state product would decrease by 2.1 percent. Furthermore, certain segments of the U.S. economy, like agriculture, are entirely dependent upon illegal immigrants.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that, “about half of the hired workers employed in U.S. crop agriculture were unauthorized, with the overwhelming majority of these workers coming from Mexico.” The USDA has also warned that, “any potential immigration reform could have significant impacts on the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry.” From the perspective of National Milk Producers Federation in 2009, retail milk prices would increase by 61 percent if its immigrant labor force were to be eliminated.

Echoing the Department of Labor, the USDA, and the National Milk Producers Federation, agricultural labor economist James S. Holt made the following statement to Congress in 2007: “The reality, however, is that if we deported a substantial number of undocumented farm workers, there would be a tremendous labor shortage.”

In terms of overall numbers, The Department of Labor reports that of the 2.5 million farm workers in the U.S., over half (53 percent) are illegal immigrants. Growers and labor unions put this figure at 70 percent.

But what about the immense strain on social services and money spent on welfare for these law breakers? The Congressional Budget Office in 2007 answered this question in the following manner: “Over the past two decades, most efforts to estimate the fiscal impact of immigration in the United States have concluded that, in aggregate and over the long term, tax revenues of all types generated by immigrants—both legal and unauthorized—exceed the cost of the services they use.” According to the New York Times, the chief actuary of the Social Security Administration claims that undocumented workers have contributed close to 10% ($300 billion) of the Social Security Trust Fund.

Finally, the aggregate economic impact of illegal immigration is debatable, but any claim that they’ve ruined the country doesn’t correlate to the views of any notable economist. An open letter to President George W. Bush in 2006, signed by around five hundred economists (including five Nobel laureates) stated the following: “While a small percentage of native-born Americans may be harmed by immigration, vastly more Americans benefit from the contributions that immigrants make to our economy, including lower consumer prices.”

Although Harvard economist Jorge Borjas has stated that illegal immigrants from 1980-2000 have reduced the wages of high school dropouts in the U.S, he also states that the average American’s wealth has increased by 1 percent because of illegal immigration. In an op-ed published in the Los Angeles Times, UC Davis economist Giovanni Peri stated that new laws are needed to meet demands within industries like construction, agriculture, and hospitality: “In recent decades, the high demand for these services and the pressure for keeping their cost low and prices competitive have generated incentives to hire undocumented workers.”

Some people claim that illegal immigrants represent an assault on our sovereignty. If this is true, then it might be the first time in world history that a country has employed its invaders. When illegal immigrants cross the border, there’s a citizen waiting to hire them and benefit in some manner from their labor. The sooner our country realizes that immigration reform should be based upon the views of economists and nonpartisan academic researchers, rather than think tanks and radio show hosts, then Congress will finally be able to help solve this national dilemma.

Some thoughts on illegal immigration. Originally Posted by BigLouie

"Thoughts" that wholly ignore that there are more than seven million unemployed Americans sitting on their asses over-burdening a myriad of social services at public expense -- in addition to the burden placed on those same social services -- at public expense -- by illegals.

Why did you?

The enemy is not hard working immigrants ....it is bigiots and ignorance. Always has been.


https://cei.org/blog/adam-smiths-rec...al-immigration
Unfortunately, as Smith notes, the man of the system “is often so enamoured with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it.” Thus, when human beings act in accordance with their own plans -- when they drink alcohol, eat fatty foods, or fail to recycle -- the legislature decides to “double down.” But, again as Smith point out, if the legislature ignores the principle of motion of his subjects, “the game of society will go on miserably, and the society must be at all times in the highest degree of disorder.”
U.S. immigration policy has followed exactly this pattern. Congress sought to engineer the international market for labor, and it failed. Its “chess pieces” acted in accordance with their own principles. Instead of recognizing its mistake, Congress determined it just wasn’t trying hard enough. It decided what it needed was even more control over the pieces, so it built walls, added guards, required surveillance by employers and landlords and spent more and more on detention facilities. Today, America spends $18 billion each year on immigration enforcement. Yet, it is not enough.
Smith argued in The Wealth of Nations the high tariffs have “in many cases, served only to encourage smuggling, and, in all cases, have reduced the revenues of the customs below what more moderate duties would have afforded.” As in the case of immigration policy, Smith argued a high tariff on trade “offers a great temptation to smuggling,” but “the law, contrary to all the ordinary principles of justice, first creates the temptation and then punishes those who yield to it.”
In such cases, Smith recommended smuggling could be eliminated “by diminishing the temptation to smuggle,” which “can be diminished only by the lowering of the tax.” America does not tax immigration, but the effect of the limited numbers issued is the same: People are smuggled into the United States sometimes at great cost and danger to themselves. Smith argued a lower tariff would increase the revenues to government, eliminate smuggling and benefit the country through lower prices


. Originally Posted by WTF

I B it is our screwed up policies. .. similar to prohibition in the 1930s

I B it is our screwed up policies. .. similar to prohibition in the 1930s Originally Posted by WTF

That article ignores entirely the costs associated with providing public services to illegals AND the unemployed. The benefits of open borders, as explained in that article, would be fine if it weren't for the burden illegals and the unemployed place on the American taxpayer.

And you have ignored the cost of cheap imported goods. Are you a isolationist?

If so what about the costs associated with say Syria ?

That is hardly an isolationist policy.
.

And you have ignored the cost of cheap imported goods. Are you a isolationist?

If so what about the costs associated with say Syria ?

That is hardly an isolationist policy.
. Originally Posted by WTF

There's nothing cheap about dim-retard politicians wanting to raise taxes on everything -- including cow farts -- to pay for those over burdened social programs.

Why did you?

The enemy is not hard working immigrants ....it is bigiots and ignorance. Always has been.


. Originally Posted by WTF

I didn't hi-jack it, I spoke to the ops assertion

you started up with the kkk

and I never called hardworking immigrants the enemy

its Obama and the left that cause us peril

but then again comprehension isn't your strong suit

hey btw what is your strong suit? that ruffley little chiffon pantsuit number, especially with those to-die-for patent leather slippers?

But do you support these new Jim Crow laws??????


. Originally Posted by WTF

Which laws are those...please provide an example.

"Thoughts" that wholly ignore that there are more than seven million unemployed Americans sitting on their asses over-burdening a myriad of social services at public expense -- in addition to the burden placed on those same social services -- at public expense -- by illegals. Originally Posted by I B Hankering

Exactly, and the fact that they ignore it is why they are not trusted.

Some thoughts on illegal immigration. Originally Posted by BigLouie

Why don't we go ahead and deport the farmworkers, raise the wages on farms to a respectable level, and see who is right?

Very good post and illustrates why Obama is so hated by freedom loving constitutionalists, whom WTF tends to dishonor by calling them old white racists. Originally Posted by DSK

Which they are, of course.

Obama isn't POTUS any more.

Can we please focus on the plague currently infecting our national government.

It isn't Obama.

Since I do not wave the Rebel flag, I'm not the target of your attacks, in that case. Originally Posted by DSK

No, you wave the ASSHOLE flag.

Why don't we go ahead and deport the farmworkers, raise the wages on farms to a respectable level, and see who is right? Originally Posted by DSK

Never going to happen. They will move production to other countries rather than raise wages. Why didn't Ford and GM raise the wages of their workers?

Never going to happen. They will move production to other countries rather than raise wages. Why didn't Ford and GM raise the wages of their workers? Originally Posted by BigLouie

Well, we need young, rich, educated workers anyway. The home builders and farmers can go find alternatives or perish.

Which they are, of course.

Obama isn't POTUS any more.

Can we please focus on the plague currently infecting our national government.

It isn't Obama. Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

You are a [prohibited word] loving homosexual.