Illegal Immigrants in the USA - Term Paper Example

Undocumented immigrants contribution to the US economy Introduction In the U. S today, the approximated population of undocumented immigrants stands at averagely, 11 million immigrants. As such, this has led to a heated debate in Congress regarding the action to take over the undocumented immigrants. Therefore, those opposed to illegal immigrants suggest that, their stay in the U.S soil impacts negatively on the job market for U.S citizens. In addition, illegal immigrants are viewed in certain quarters as “takers” in the sense that, illegal immigrants benefit more from public resources than the bonafide citizens of the U.S. However, the reality on the ground is that, immigrants contribute positively to the U.S economy and pay significantly into the system compared to what they send back home. In addition, the contributions associated with undocumented immigrants involve sustaining the solvency of the SSTF (Social Security Trust Fund). In this sense, the use of cost benefit analysis by those supporting immigration restrictions are unfounded and does not reflect the facts on the ground (Nadadur 1037). The opponents of undocumented immigrants believe that having more undocumented immigrants in the U.S is costly; however, there are no substantiated reasons to prove that undocumented immigrants are a burden to the exchequer. Instead, the undocumented immigrants play an important role in boosting the economy and in particular by taking up jobs those citizens perceive as demeaning. The money they earn goes back to the economy through taxes resulting from consumer spending when they send money back home. Paying of taxes and maintaining the solvency of Social Security by undocumented immigrants The undocumented immigrants, also pay taxes and according to a study carried out in 2011 by the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy shows that the undocumented immigrants contributed approximately $ 11.2 billion in form of taxes. This is a significant amount if combined with other tax is enough to assist the state and local authorities to provide efficient services to citizens. On another note, the undocumented immigrants make their contribution to the economy that does not allow immigrants to access social services. As such, the argument that undocumented immigrants cost the government is untrue since they are paying for services that they cannot access. Further, the same undocumented immigrants play an important role in terms of sustaining the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund. The estimations by the National Foundation for American Policy note that immigrants are expected in the next 75 years to contribute averagely $611billion towards the Social Security Trust Fund. As such, the idea to limit immigration to the United States may lead to an increased deficit with regard to the Social Security in the long run (Tjernberg 151). Instead of restrictions directed towards undocumented immigrants in the U.S, the government should allow the immigrants to work legally as a way of improving both local and state contribution. In essence, legalization would play an important part in improving the wages earned by undocumented immigrants since working legally would improve their bargaining power and avoid exploitation from the employers. For the country, it is important to have the immigrants included in the federal State and the local tax system, which will subject the immigrants to contribute state personal income taxes. In the event that the over 11million undocumented immigrants are provided with legal status, and this would lead to a rise in the taxes to approximately $2billion annually these include taxes targeting personal income, sales, excise, and property taxes (Tjernberg 163). How immigrants impact positively on low wage employment One of the arguments given for the restriction of undocumented immigrants in the United States is that they usurp jobs from the bonafide citizens who want to work in the low wage sector of the economy. However, the truth is that most Americans are not willing to work in jobs that are viewed as low or demeaning. These jobs include menial and blue-collar jobs that are not associated with any professionalism and pays low wage. This is a sector where, employers face difficulties in terms of finding employees with legal status and as such, this presents an opportunity for undocumented immigrants to earn money and help their family. One main aim of most immigrants from other countries is to earn money and help family members back home. As such, immigrants are comfortable working in any job specification that they can find while still living in America. The jobs that undocumented immigrants can find without any work permit in the United States include dishwashing, working in the fields and other blue-collar jobs. These jobs do not pay much, but is able to sustain the immigrants and their families (Nadadur 1042). In addition, through these jobs, undocumented immigrants are able to contribute significantly to the taxman. In the United States, the undocumented immigrants normally do most constructions that take place. This goes towards the infrastructure development in the country that relies on the efforts of the immigrants. On the fields, the same undocumented immigrants work hard to ensure that the common citizen can access fresh vegetables on the shelves of grocery stores. The immigrants also ensure that homes are kept neat by working as house helps, and they assist senior citizens with their daily chores and help in the landscaping of homes in the United States. While the legal citizens are complaining about illegal immigrants taking up jobs in the low wage sector, this is not true. Undocumented immigrants are able to access those jobs because of the immobility of the American citizens working in the low wage sector (Nadadur 1048). On the other hand, the efforts of undocumented immigrants are not only realizable in the low wage sector, but also high wage sector that caters for white-collar jobs. Some of the illegal immigrants that reside in United States are highly qualified professionals and their input is significant in driving the U.S economy to greater heights. Within the population of undocumented immigrants, are professionals such as doctors, engineers, professors, scientists and architects. This offers the country great potential in terms of depth in expertise from other perspectives other than the views of native-born professionals (Nadadur 1051). Providing undocumented immigrants with legal working status Most undocumented immigrants are professionals and if provided with a legal status to work in the country, would definitely contribute to the economy and keep U.S as the leading economy in the world. As a result of a continued growth in population, there is a need of an increased workforce or professionals to offer services to the population. The sectors that might be affected because of increase in population include the health sector, education and R&D. By providing legal status for immigrants to work, the country will have enough human capital to use in the aforementioned sectors since the native-born professionals alone cannot serve an ever-increasing population in the United States (Becerra, Androff and Ayon 112). Providing legal status to undocumented immigrants in the United States is important in terms of the economy realizing maximum output. Allowing immigrants in the country needs to be viewed in terms of what they can add to the economy and not the burden. This is because undocumented immigrants contributions is very significant compared to the burden they bring to the United States as argued in some quarters. Most immigrants come to America with an intention to earn money and improve the living standards of their families. As such, the undocumented immigrants provides the economy with the most mobile and efficient pool of workers who are ready to work in a 24/7 economy (Becerra, Androff and Ayon 116). In addition, the U.S government needs to allow the undocumented immigrants to work legally in the country because they contribute indirectly in cutting aid that United States spend in helping struggling countries in the third world. Most immigrants working abroad often send money back home for their families and relatives to use in improving their living standards. This includes using the money sent back home to set up a business, take their children to school or treat the sick. As such, the money sent back home reduce the burden of the government of such countries in terms of providing amenities to the disadvantaged citizens. In most instances, where these governments are unable to provide the basic needs to citizens such as health and education, they are often forced to turn to the west for aid. In this sense, the United States should allow undocumented immigrants to work in the country as way of minimizing the aid it provides to poor country and to avoid overspending the taxpayer’s money (Becerra, Androff and Ayon 121). Increasing investment and cultural diversity Other than monetary benefit, the illegal immigrants also contribute to the cultural diversity of the United States. This may occur in the form of intermarriage between the native born Americans and the undocumented immigrants. As such, the U.S as a nation consists of a diverse culture where all the languages in the world are represented. This helps to promote the image of the United States as a free country that accommodates all cultures. In addition, the multicultural diversity created by the undocumented immigrants also provides an avenue for prospective investors from other countries across the globe to invest in the American economy since, they have people form their countries working and living in the United States (Eraydin, Tasan-Kok and Vranken 521). In the United States today, immigrants who came to the country illegally some years back own most businesses, but are now successful business owners who contributes to the success of the United States economy. The same immigrants bring their relatives or friends to the United States with an aim to improve their economic status by working and being paid in the United States. Instead of the government restricting such persons they should be provided with legal status so that they can work and improve not only their status, but also the United States economy (Eraydin, Tasan-Kok and Vranken 523). Contrary argument to the existence of undocumented immigrants in the U.S The school of thought opposing the legal status of undocumented immigrants is in the opinion that, illegal immigration has a negative impact on the economy. This is because it leads to the saturation of the economy with slow skilled workers. Over the years, most of the immigrants entering the United States lack skill and experience needed in the white-collar jobs and can only do the menial jobs. In one study, it is indicated that averagely 60% of immigrants and in particular adults lack high school education. This surpasses the rate of native born who are considered to lack a high school education (Davidson Para. 3). As such, providing the immigrants with legal status will lead to a labor market saturated with workers possessing low skills or inexperience in their field of work. The consequence in this sense would be an extra cost on the taxpayer because lack of experience among workers result in low wages. This means that they will be taxed less while they use most of the government services. In one example, a number of immigrants from Mexico have their families listed in the welfare programs available in the United States. This is because their education level does not allow them the opportunities for employment and income necessary to support their families. In this sense, U.S should not be compared with what worked for the country a century ago since it is not favorable for the country at present. As such, it is important for U.S to restrict illegal immigration as a way of promoting the future economic growth of the country (Davidson Para. 3). Conclusion While tangible reasons exists for the need to cut on undocumented immigration, the benefits that illegal immigrants bring to the U.S economy still surpass the arguments against providing undocumented immigrants with legal status. The undocumented immigrants are found in all sectors of the U.S economy and their input needs to be recognized by providing them with legal status to work and improve the economy. Works Cited Becerra, David; Androff, K and Ayon, Cecilia. Fear vs. Facts: Examining the Economic Impact of Undocumented Immigrants in the U.S. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare 39.4 (2012): 112-128. Davidson, Adam. Do Illegal Immigrants Actually Hurt the U.S. Economy? The New York Times. 12 Feb, 2013. Web. 15 May, 2014. . Eraydin, Ayda; Tasan-Kok, Tuna; Vranken, Jan. Diversity Matters: Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Contribution of Forms of Social Integration in Economic Performance of Cities. European Planning Studies 18.4 (2010): 521-543. Nadadur, Ramanujan. Illegal Immigration: A Positive Economic Contribution to the United States. Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies 35.6 (2009): 1037-1052. Tjernberg, Mats. The Economy of Undocumented Migration: Taxation and Access to Welfare. European Journal of Migration & Law 12.2 (2012): 149-171. Read More