Illegal Imigrants in United States - Essay Example

One school of thought agrees that the immigrants should not be granted the same benefits as the legal citizens, and thus, be deported. Another school of thought agrees that granting a legal status to the immigrants will be beneficial for both, the country and the immigrants themselves. Deporting a population of 11 million people is virtually impossible. Giving the illegal immigrants a legal status within the country has its benefits which will in turn help the economy of USA. The literacy rate in USA is high, with only 8% adults who have not completed high school.

However, there are numerous industries and sectors within the country which require low-skilled and less educated labour force. These industries include construction, agriculture, food processing and maintenance. Most of the illegal immigrants are Hispanics with low level of schooling. This coupled with their illegal status forces them to work such low end jobs. Had these immigrants been deported or eliminated, the labour intensive sectors of the country would have suffered greatly. The effect of the decrease in productivity of these industries would have reflected in the GDP of the country.

This situation is a complex one as the country fights for human rights, with many human rights activists operating within USA. At times, the illegal immigrants do not have the basic employee rights. However, if they are deported not only would they lose their jobs, but the output of these labour intensive sectors will also suffer (Hanson, 5). The wages for low skilled labour fluctuates along with the seasonal fluctuations in production and the business cycle. When the demands for goods and services increase, manufacturers require more low skilled labour and thus, pay higher per hour wage as compared to times of low demand.

Since the number of green cards granted each year is fixed irrespective of the economic expansions and downturns, when producers need more labour, they have no option present, but the illegal immigrants. Eliminating illegal immigrants completely will create a labour shortage in times of economic booms and the manufacturing industry, along with many others, will not be able to take full advantage of this economic boom (Hanson, 7). One of the main reason why the government and US citizens in general are in favour of deporting the illegal immigrants, is the belief that these immigrants are encroaching within the county claiming resources which should rightfully be of the US citizens’, and overall having a detrimental effect on the economy of the country.

The influx of illegal immigrants has led to an increase in the supply of low skilled labour. This has consequently put a pressure on the wages in the country. Wages for the low skilled labour have fallen, enabling the employers and business owners to generate more income and profits. The availability of low skilled labour on reduced wages has reduced the labour costs companies have to bear and made businesses more productive. Since the income of the business owners have increased, they can reinvest more money in their businesses and use their resources more efficiently.

This results in a net gain in the national income, known as the immigration surplus. On the whole, arrival of illegal immigrants has been the reason for an increase in the total economic output. However a portion of this additional wealth generated is