A Day Without Immigrants...but not their costs?
Guest posting by Christopher
On May 1st the activist leaders of the immigrant community, both legal and illegal, are planning a nationwide protest called, “A Day Without Immigrants”. This is supposed to show the magnitude of the economic impact of the immigrant community here in the United States.
To be a true demonstration of the economic impact any "Day Without Immigrants" will have to consider the economic costs of this type of immigration. On the day of this “protest”, will depressed low skill wages rise? Will we not need to expend that day’s share of the nearly $6 billion a year spent on incarcerating illegals guilty of crimes? Will these immigrants forgo the slice of the nearly $22 billion in welfare assistance? Will they reimburse taxpayers for the education subsidy that goes to educate the children of illegals? Or what about one of the largest costs--the cost of subsidized healthcare? Will the immigrant community somehow reimburse America enough to reopen all the emergency rooms that had to close due to immigrants using them as family practice clinics with no intent to pay? [Rossputin wonders: Or can we at least turn away all illegals from emergency rooms for the day?]
The facts are that immigrants add a small fraction to the economy. Estimates run from as low as $15 billion to as much as $400 billion. Even at the highest estimate these numbers represent a mere pittance of a $12.47 trillion dollar economy.
The real truth behind mass immigration from Latin America is that we have subsidized low skilled labor for a variety of industries in this country. The taxpayer picks up the expenses that would normally be paid for by workers. Some argue that illegals pay massive taxes. That is hardly likely as even those who do try and pay are taxed at the lowest rates and pay little or no taxes. They are even likely to qualify for welfare in the form of the earned income tax credit. [Note from Rossputin: I don’t have the numbers, but given that many illegals sign up for work with a (fake) Social Security number, I would bet that they do pay a substantial amount in payroll taxes, which they will never recover. That said, I absolutely agree that there is a massive and widespread cost to society, particularly in education and health care due to illegal migrant workers.]
The claim is that immigrants do jobs that Americans won’t do. The reality is that Americans won’t do those jobs at such low wages. Illegal immigration hinders real economic progress in that it makes it possible to continue doing jobs cheaply that would otherwise be mechanized or automated. [Note from Rossputin: Christopher is making two separate points here. I agree with the second point that illegal immigrants work cheaply enough that it may discourage technological innovation in areas like agriculture. However I disagree with the implication of his first point that we should simply get employers to pay more and get Americans to do those jobs. American unemployment is very low, and the cost to the consumer of what one would have to pay to get most American workers to do what many Mexicans do is beyond what those jobs are worth.]
So as we consider a Day Without Immigrants lets us consider that what we gain is low skilled labor to wash our dishes, mow our lawns and take out our trash. What it costs us is billions of dollars in subsidies and a chipping away at our sovereignty.
| Print article | This entry was posted by Rossputin on 04/18/06 at 03:32:01 am . Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. |
Yours truly
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04/18/06 @ 07:37:50 pm
. I'm not even sure anybody will notice.
Notwithstanding their own propaganda, I'm not sure illegals would be missed add that much from the economy.
California Produce is only incrementally cheaper than Chilean, Mexican, Brazilian, Ecuadorian.... Not sure anybody would notice the difference.
04/18/06 @ 10:53:11 pm
Well stated Ross...
04/29/06 @ 07:55:32 am
Most green card workers carry 7 or more dependents so they do not have to pay large amounts of federal income taxes.
04/29/06 @ 08:33:45 am
Another thought. Everyone talks about illegal immigrants, what if Mexico were simply annexed as the 51st state of the U.S.A. Then instead of immigrants they would be citizens, who would legally be eligible for Social Security, Welfare, Unemployment, Medicare, and IRS tax audits. Carry this thought to minimum wage and other areas. No cheap labor in the 51st state for big companies.
04/30/06 @ 05:04:37 pm
Sorry folks, but you are wrong! Illegal immigrants DO pay for YOUR welfare, as they receive a paycheck too, and part of their income is taken out for social security (that they will never be able to claim), and Medicaid (that also will never be able to claim, as you have to be legal to be eligible). Illegal immigrants pay for their taxes with a tax id number, as they don't have a social security number So they give to this country, the difference is that they are not eligible for the services they pay for with every paycheck. Get informed!
04/30/06 @ 05:04:56 pm
I dont understand what the big deal about Mexicans staying here in the US is. Way back when America took this land away from the Indians by fooling them and killing them off. Then later America went and forced Africans to come as slaves for Americans for years. Many years Americans sold and bought these African slaves like they were some kind of animal. And now Americans are sittin there crying about too many Mexicans coming form Mexico and using Americans money and jobs. Well all I can say is "PAY BACK IS A BITCH AIN'T IT?" and "WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND" What makes America so special anyways? Face it this situation is out of control and there is nothing anyone can do to correct it anymore. All I can say is get used to it.
04/30/06 @ 06:48:08 pm
Gaby,
Since you're obviously still in college, and thus young, leftist, and idealistic, I will ascribe your plainly silly response to the issue to youthful indiscretion.
First, this has nothing to do with "payback".
Second, if you don't know what makes America so special, I suggest you go live elsewhere for some years until you learn it. For the record, I have done so...twice.
Third, the situation is quite out of control, but that does not mean nothing can be done.
Please keep reading and commenting....You remind us what the future of America might look like, and thus inspire us to work harder to strengthen the values that made America great...values you seem neither to cherish nor possess.
Ross
04/30/06 @ 08:35:35 pm
A day without immigrants? No
It's a risky move that will do more harm than good
By ANDREW FRIEDMAN
America is a country of immigrants. Immigrants built this country, and immigrants enrich our culture and our economy with their hard work, taxes and consumer spending. It's impossible to imagine what the United States would be like without immigrants,
04/30/06 @ 08:37:21 pm
WANT THE REST?
yet some advocates are calling for "a day without immigrants" on May 1, pushing for immigrants to stay home from work and to stay out of stores.
As the movement for immigrant rights gains momentum, a nationwide boycott and general strike is not the best way to push for just reform. As a tactic, it is just too risky. Immigrant workers who skip work are likely to lose their jobs, and most are already economically vulnerable. A tactic that hurts those it purports to support is simply irresponsible.
Organizers are naive regarding the tremendous undertaking of a nationwide boycott. It would be exceedingly difficult to pull off, and its almost certain failure will distract from the huge benefits immigrants bring to the U.S.
A study by the National Academy of Sciences found that immigrants and their immediate descendents pay $80,000 more in taxes than they receive in benefits during their lifetime. Immigrant workers comprise close to 15% of America's labor force and, without them, our output of goods and services would decrease by more than $1 trillion. Nearly half of all agricultural workers in our country are immigrants. Also, the Latino and Asian-American consumer markets accounted for more than $1 trillion in buying power in 2004.
Promoting comprehensive immigration reform is crucial to the well-being of our country. We must allow the millions of undocumented workers in the country to emerge from the shadows, rewarding their hard work with opportunity. We must move to provide a path to citizenship.
Instead of a strike, some have plans on May 1 for teach-ins, interfaith vigils and solidarity events that unite workers and their employers to build on the massive public rallies that have occurred in cities around the country.
We simply cannot have and should not want a day without immigrants in America. Immigrants are an inextricable part of what makes our country strong.
Friedman is co-director of Make the Road by Walking and a senior fellow at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy.
Originally published on April 22, 2006
04/30/06 @ 09:58:17 pm
I agree with Gaby.
05/01/06 @ 03:22:25 am
As Gaby said "Get used to it"..!! We are here and we are staying here, if we get deported, we will be back shortly (have done it already). Every time you eat a fruit or a vegetable, remember who picked it. It was probably me. Do you believe that whites are willing to work at the fields for minimum wage? I don't think so and I don't blame them. You should be thankfull. We are hard workers, why is that so hard to recognize?? It is easy to critizice when you do not have a minimum idea of what we go through every single day. Life has made us tough, and tough people are hard to intimidate. Want to finish by saying that I love America maybe as much as you do, and you know what?? I love you to my friend hehe.
05/01/06 @ 06:32:36 am
Basically, if you're in this country illegally, leave. You shouldn't be here in the first place - that's what ILLEGAL means. If you're going to complain about the Soc. Sec. taxes that get taken out that you'll never get to use, leave ... OR do the right thing and, I don't know, crazy idea - BECOME A CITIZEN. Why is it that everyone thinks they can just come into America and shit all over it? No one goes to another country and thinks they are "owed" any rights that the citizens there have. This whole day is just a reminder of the widespread ignorance.
For the record, my parents are immigrants too. They, however, did it the right way. Instead of bitching about it, they became citizens. Simple.
05/01/06 @ 07:09:49 am
It is sad that many people are against immigrants, legal or ilegal.
It is sad, and shows their ignorance, that many people think that all immigrants come from Mexico. I am sure every single person that is against immigrants is the descendant of an immigrant, because the only truly americans are the Native American Indians. Period. I am an immigrant, came here many years ago illegaly,now I am, a US citizen. I have worked very hard for what I have, working 60, 70 and more hours a week, went to school and now I am a professional, have my family, my house, my kids are professionals, and I paid my taxes since the very first day I started working in this country, and I have never seek or receibed any kind of benefits from the gobernment. I know many illegal immigrants that pay their taxes, are good people, hard workers, many go to school, they do not get in any kind of trouble, what is more important is many of them go to school, and some day they will be ready to get better jobs with better wages, this is what worries many "american citizens" who are afraid of loosing their jobs, if they work at all, of their limitations, of their incompetence, who live on welfare and get all kind of benefits from the gobernment with the taxes paid by illegal immigrants who never will be able to claim those benefits. So they should be thankful and pray to God that the immigrants stay here and continue paying taxes so they could continue receibing welfare.
05/01/06 @ 07:12:28 am
Yes I am young and I am in college. And you know what? I am not the only one who feels this way. The majority of people in my school are white Americans and we have discussed this topic and I can tell you something I am sure of now. My classmates must be your grandkids or something because they believe that hard working Mexicans should be given a chance. And we are the future so yeah like I said get used to it because as we grow up things will become better and better for these hard working immigrants. And when I said what makes America special I meant the American people. What makes the white American people so special that they can pick and choose who stays and who goes. I dont remember the Indians getting to pick who goes and who stays. The white people just took over and killed any Indian who had a problem with it. And who cares if I say these things because I am young? I say this because its true. It did happen. Did you ever hear the quote "Forgotten history is bound to repeat its self?"
05/01/06 @ 10:11:22 am
MYTH: Immigrants use more government services than they pay for with their taxes.
REALITY: Actually, the National Academy of Sciences found that the average immigrant annually contributes $1,800 more in taxes than he or she receives in benefits. Over their lifetimes, immigrants and their children will each pay an average $80,000 more in taxes than they will receive in local, state and federal benefits combined.
Because states provide most services used by immigrants, they can be net financial losers, while the federal government is typically a net gainer.
MYTH: Immigrants increase unemployment and reduce wages.
REALITY: In line with a number of other studies, the Cato Institute found that immigrants do not increase joblessness, even among the lowest-paid workers. The institute studied the relationship of unemployment and immigration between 1900 and 1989 and found "no statistically reliable correlation" between the two.
Other studies have found that immigration either has no effect on wage levels or, at worst, a very slight effect on a very small number of the lowest paid jobs in high-immigrant areas.
There is a consensus among business leaders that immigration is vital to maintaining economic growth. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said recently that immigration is critical to mitigating "inflation pressures."
MYTH: Immigrants bring disease.
REALITY: Even though most immigrants come from countries poorer than the United States, recent immigrants are healthier than the U.S.-born population in virtually every particular.
The Cato Institute also found that general health indicators like birth weight and infant mortality are better among babies born to immigrants than to U.S.-born mothers.
MYTH: Immigrants degrade the environment.
REALITY: Since 1965, when the current high levels of immigration began, there is no evidence that the environment has worsened overall. In fact, many environmental indicators like air and water quality have generally improved.
05/01/06 @ 10:16:05 am
1. Illegality and poverty should not monopolize the debate. There is the feeling out there that all immigration in the United States is illegal and that it brings in poor people in the United States. It isn't true.
2. Immigration is not a multiple-choice question with two simple and extreme answers. The choice is not thus narrow as the debate has been and it isn’t between those who want to close the borders and build a wall around the US and those who want to welcome all the poor people of world.
3. The question of integration is a bigger question than the one of immigration since it questions the type of society that Americans chose to have. Someone wrote to me that the people demonstrating in the streets were loyal Americans because they had flags from other countries. I disagree. America made the choice a long time ago that immigrants didn’t have to give up their roots and their history to become Americans and part of American society. This explains, for example, the fact that Alex Rodriguez could chose between playing for the United States and playing for the Dominican Republic. It explains why politicians such as Ted Kennedy do not hesitate to talk about their Irish roots and show their love for Ireland. I remember that during the Olympics in Australia, Marion Jones celebrated her victory in the 100 meters with the flag of Belize. Nobody said that she was not loyal to America. One of the greatest things about this country is that multiculturalism and multiethiniticy is not in contradiction with american identity. If some want to change that aspect of America, then they should have a debate about, but not use double standards to justify their hostility to immigration.
4. The poor who come to this country do not come here to be on welfare and to take advantage of the United States social system. They come here to find work and opportunity, which are not present in their own country. I think that there is a hidden message behind those who say that if you are poor, you should be allowed to immigrate here and that message is that poor people are lazy and that they are poor not because there is something wrong with them. Poor immigrants usually end up raising their status in American society because they are willing to lick the streets of Los Angeles or of New York to earn a living. The point is that they are ready and willing to work.
5. The solution of the immigration issue is not essentially about border patrol. It is about the rules and the criteria, which the United States chooses to ensure that the people who immigrate here will be law-abiding citizens and will improve its society. Whether people want to accept it or not, the United States needs immigrants. The most important question in my opinion of this whole debate is how to make the immigration process fair so that there is a just balance between accepting those who have great knowledge and skills and those who are poor, but are entrepreneurial. The sad thing is that because the focus has been on illegal immigration and of security, it has become more difficult for people with skills, knowledge, and talent to immigrate to the United States. I know from experience that it is easier in some circumstances for someone who comes here illegal to get her/his papers by seeking asylum than it is for a student who studied it, who has show by receiving his diplomas that s/he is smart and will more than likely offer something to America.
05/01/06 @ 10:37:23 am
if you read my writing, I think you'll find that I am consistently pro-immigrant. I support massive increases in the number of visas available for workers, for example, and I recognize the importance of immigrants in the economy.
However, there is no doubt that the way illegals use/abuse our health care system as well as our taxation system causes tremendous burden on American citizens. It is NOT at all clear that immigrants pay more in taxes than they cost, despite those who have some of their income taken for social security and won't be able to claim it. It is clear that hospitals are going out of business because of illegal aliens.
I am not against immigrants or immigration. I am against illegal immigration, and I am against a population that has no intention of assimilating, learning english, or becoming American. If they want to come and work, to keep speaking Spanish, and probably one day to return to Mexico, they should be able to work but should not be entitled to ANY benefit they can not pay for themselves. And let's be VERY clear here: the problem is almost entirely with Mexicans, not people from the other countries you mentioned.
05/01/06 @ 12:47:44 pm
Evy & Gaby set them straight!! They don't want to believe it or hear it. Your words hurt them. But your words are true. You know what Mexicans have more rights to be here because they only had to cross a river to get to America your A$$ had to cross the ocean. So hop on a ship and say bye bye!!! No, I'm not an ilegal. I'm R.N with B.A. Illegals are humans, too. Rememeber when you die you are not taking a piece of this land... no one is.
05/01/06 @ 12:50:21 pm
Evy & Gaby set them straight!! They don't want to believe it or hear it. Your words hurt them. But your words are true. You know what Mexicans have more rights to be here because they only had to cross a river to get to America your A$$ had to cross the ocean. So hop on a ship and say bye bye!!! No, I'm not an ilegal. I'm R.N with B.A. Illegals are humans, too. Rememeber when you die you are not taking a piece of this land... no one is.
05/01/06 @ 08:41:45 pm
excuse me but with out immigrants the USA is nothiing we do more than what "legal" people do anyways and we do all your work so i have no idea why you guys are complaing anyways live all the ilegals that are actually hard working people!
05/01/06 @ 10:05:07 pm
Tax ID numbers are what businesses use for tax purposes. The ID number on a greencard is what allows the Social Security office to identify that worker so that he or she can get their social security card.