Since the onset of the twenty-first century, the immigrant population in the United States has risen by 10.2 million to reach an estimated total of 41.3 million immigrants within American borders (Mass). The exponential upsurge of immigrants within American borders and its publicity has captured the public’s attention and generated opposing and controversial opinions about immigration issues. By the year 2013, legal and illegal immigrants encompassed 13.1 percent of the American population (Mass). While it is important to reform the country’s immigration policies, the contribution of immigrants to the American economy labels them a positive contribution to American society.
Immigrants are a valuable human resource. The United States economy poses to gain significant increases in revenue if proper legislative structures that account for unauthorized immigrants are enforced. Eliminating the uncertainty of unauthorized status among immigrants gives legalized immigrants an opportunity to earn higher incomes and invest. Unauthorized, unaccounted and untaxable wages paid daily to immigrants present the U. S. government an opportunity to improve the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The North American Integration and Development Center approximates that three years after legalization the earning power of former immigrants would yield an estimated 4.5 to 5.4 billion U. S dollars (Ewing). States with high immigrant populations such as Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico and Nevada not only have the potential to increase their tax review but also pose to improve incomes and living standards of legal immigrants and generate thousands of job opportunities. A California-based study indicated that illegal Latina immigrants lose approximately 2.2 billion dollars in wages annually singularly because of their illegal status (Ewing).
The positive economic benefits of immigrants have been echoed in states such as California. Fifty-nine percent of California voters believe that immigrants strengthen the society especially through their long-term positive contributions (Marcin). Even with America’s active involvement in drug producing Latin American countries, and other external conflicts, the U. S. is still able to provide social amenities such as healthcare, free education and food programs to illegal immigrants (Mass). This, therefore, becomes a form of trade-off between America and its immigrants whereby immigrants (both legal and illegal) gain access to much needed social amenities while contributing to the country's economy through various forms of labor.
Since the year 1986, America has spent an estimated 186.4 billion dollars on immigration enforcement (Ewing). Increased government spending on immigration issues has generated a lot of negative perceptions towards immigrants in America. A study on California voters indicated that forty-one percent of California voters believe that immigrants increase the financial hardships of natives (Marcin). These perceptions have been generated by public opinions that view immigration reforms as a waste of taxpayer dollars especially because for decades intended reforms have not produced guiding legislature on the issue despite the growing human catastrophe (Ewing).
Government spending on immigration issues has increased rapidly over the years. In 1993, the budget for the U. S. Mexico border patrol was 363 million dollars and risen rapidly to 3.5 billion dollars by the year 2012 (Ewing). The increase in spending is consequential to an increase in immigration monitoring institutions. These institutions currently comprise of the Department of Homeland Security, U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U. S. Border Patrol, and the U. S. Customs and Border Protection. Increasing institutional surveillance on immigrants has consequently put significant economic pressure on the country.
It is evident that the dire social, political and economic conditions of developing countries are increasing immigrant populations into the United States in search for better opportunities. Among the public, concern over the economic, political and cultural consequences of immigration is growing. Since the inception of immigration, immigrants have contributed positively to the net economy of the nation and added cultural diversity that has enriched American culture (Mass).
It is arguable that the immediate absorption of all immigrants can lead to the creation of a welfare state that will highly burden taxpayers. However, improving the legal status of immigrants has both humanitarian and long-term economic benefits. Legal adoption of immigrants into the country need not take an immediate approach. Long overdue sustainable policies in legislature are critical and essential to the adoption of immigrants, their legalization, and their consequential placement into American society.
President Obama’s executive actions on immigration have the potential to increase the country's GDP by 0.15 percent within the next decade and by 0.22 percent within the next three and a half decades (Ewing). The GDP increment translates to an estimated 1.4 billion dollars in net revenue annually. Moreover, 950,000 additional workers will contribute to payroll taxes within a decade (Ewing). Policies supporting the legalization of immigrants and their subsequent adoption into American society will significantly increase employment in states with high immigrant populations. States such as Texas and Virginia have the potential to create 193,000 and 27,000 new jobs.
The difference in immigration in the twentieth century and twenty-first century lies not in the rapid rise of immigrant populations in America but in their potential to contribute to the economy, politics and culture of the country. Their potential to contribute billions in revenue annually and add cultural diversity to American society warrants the need for amnesty for illegal immigrants. While it is important to reform the country’s immigration policies, the contribution of immigrants to the American economy should not be ignored given that their contributions brand them as a positive impact on American society.
Works Cited
Ewing, Walter. "The Cost Of Doing Nothing." American Immigration Council. N.p., 2013. Web.
27 Apr. 2016.
Marcin, Tim. "California Immigration 2015: State's Immigrants Seen As Positive Compared
With U. S. Poll Finds". International Business Times. N.p., 2015. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.
Mass, Warren. "U.S. Immigrant Population Hits Record 41.3 Million". The New American. N.p.,
2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
