Myths and facts about immigration

(Editor’s Note: This is the first in a seven-part series of immigration reform articles prepared by the Indiana Catholic Conference. Capsule forms have been prepared for use in parish bulletins. Diocesan newspapers throughout the state have agreed to publish the series in its longer form.)

Perceived myth: Immigrants take jobs and opportunities away from Americans.

Known fact: The largest wave of immigration to the U.S. since the early 1900s coincided with our lowest national unemployment rate and fastest economic growth. Immigrant entrepreneurs also create jobs for U.S. and foreign workers.

While there has been no comprehensive study done of immigrant-owned businesses, there are countless examples: In Silicon Valley, companies started by Chinese and Indian immigrants generated more than $19.5 billion in sales and nearly 73,000 jobs in 2000. (Source: Immigration and Unemployment: New Evidence, Alexis de Tocqueville Institution)

Aren’t immigrants taking jobs from U.S. workers? Why do businesses hire them?

During the 1990s, half of all new workers were foreign-born, filling gaps left by native-born workers in both the high- and low-skill ends of the spectrum.

Immigrants fill jobs in key sectors, start their own businesses and contribute to a thriving economy. The net benefit of immigration to the U.S. is nearly $10 billion annually.

As Alan Greenspan points out, 70 percent of immigrants arrive in prime working age. That means we haven’t spent a penny on their education, yet they are transplanted into our workforce and will contribute $500 billion toward our Social Security system over the next 20 years.

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that by 2010, the U.S. will have created 22 million new jobs—9 million more jobs than new (native-born) workers entering the job market. This gap will increase after 2010 as the “baby boomers” reach retirement age and leave the labor force.

Today, our immigration laws do not reflect this demographic and economic reality. Our immigration laws should be reconciled with the economic laws of supply and demand.

Immigration reform would address a range of workforce realities—legalizing a workforce that is here to stay, providing more legal visas for workers to come in the future, and providing for the temporary employment of foreign workers who help American employers in sectors of the economy that provide seasonal jobs. †