The importance of immigrants to the Boston economy

The real issue Isn't whether immigrants are important to the economy - of course they are!

The real issue is whether our economy could afford 100% compliance with labor regulation, or whether we enjoy our cheap restaurants, hotels, and other services only because people are being payed less than minimum wage and denied the benefits and protections that labor regulations grant.

You can't simultaneously be in favor of strong labor regulations and undocumented immigration, and this is a dilemma I wish the Democrats would address. Economists generally think that adding an able bodied citizen worker to the US is a net benefit -- massively opened immigration is the logical conclusion.

MYTH: Most immigrants are here illegally

Most of the foreign-born people living in the United States followed the rules and have permission to be here. Of the more than 43 million foreign-born people who were living in the United States in 2014, around 44 percent were naturalized U.S. citizens. Those who were not naturalized were either lawful permanent residents, also known as green-card holders (27 percent of all foreign-born people), or immigrants who were unauthorized (some 11 million people, representing 25.5 percent of all foreign-born people).

Although it is not known exactly what percentage of that 11 million originally entered legally with valid visas and let their visas expire (experts estimate it to be approximately 40 percent), it is known that—by far—the nation with the most visitors who do not leave at the end of their authorized stays is Canada.

MYTH: Immigrants take good jobs from U.S. citizens.

According to the American Immigration Council, a nonpartisan group, research indicates there is little connection between immigrant labor and unemployment rates of native-born workers. Two trends—better education and an aging population—have resulted in a decrease in the number of workers born in the United States who are willing or available to take low-paying jobs. Across all industries and occupations, though, immigrants who are naturalized citizens and non-citizens are outnumbered by workers born in the United States. 

The U.S. civilian workforce included 8 million unauthorized immigrants in 2014, which accounts for only 5 percent of the entire workforce. Compared with their small share of the civilian workforce overall, immigrants without authorization are only overrepresented in service, farming and construction occupations. This may be due to the fact that, to fill the void of low-skilled U.S. workers, employers often hire undocumented immigrant workers. One of the consequences of this practice is that it is easier for unscrupulous employers to exploit this labor source, paying immigrants less, refusing to provide benefits and ignoring worker-safety laws. On an economic level, U.S. citizens benefit from relatively low prices on food and other goods produced by undocumented immigrant labor.
 

MYTH: “The worst” people from other countries are coming to the United States and bringing crime and violence.

Immigrants come to this country for a few primary reasons: to work, to be reunited with family members or to escape a dangerous situation. Most are couples, families with children, and workers who are integral to the U.S. economy. Statistics show that immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes or be behind bars than native-born people are, and high rates of immigration are associated with lower rates of violent crime and property crime. For instance, “sanctuary counties” average 35.5 fewer crimes per 10,000 people compared to non-sanctuary counties.

According to the American Immigration Council: “Between 1990 and 2013 the foreign-born share of the U.S. population grew from 7.9 percent to 13.1 percent and the number of unauthorized immigrants more than tripled. ... During the same period, FBI data indicate that the violent crime rate and property crime rate declined 48 percent and 41 percent [respectively] The truth is, foreign-born people in the United States—whether they are naturalized citizens, permanent residents or immigrants who are undocumented—are incarcerated at a much lower rate than native-born Americans.

MYTH: Undocumented immigrants don’t pay taxes and burden the national economy

Immigrants who are undocumented pay taxes every time they buy taxable goods such as gas, clothes or new appliances (depending on where they reside). They also contribute to property taxes—a main source of school funding—when they buy or rent a house or apartment.

A 2017 report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy highlights that undocumented immigrants pay an estimated $11.74 billion in state and local taxes a year. The U.S. Social Security Administration estimated that in 2010 undocumented immigrants—and their employers—paid $13 billion in payroll taxes alone for benefits they will never get.

They can receive schooling and emergency medical care but not welfare or food stamps. Under the 1996 welfare law, most government programs require proof of documentation, and even immigrants with documents cannot receive these benefits until they have been in the United States for more than five years.
 
The fact of the matter is that the recently and growing antipathy towards immigrants is really a false flag to plausibly deny the underlying bigot and racism of right wing zealots fueled and lead by a fraudulently elected POTUS. He is playing to people who exist in a world of fear, bigotry and racism. Nothing more complicated than that.

Of course immigrants are important, illegals are not. I will narrow it to one issue, vetting. Although imperfect, the US System of NCIC (National Crime Information Center) and the MA BOP (Board of Probation) system keep a decent record of people here legally, often supported by photographs and fingerprints. Do you think Guatemala or El Salvador is using the same system or sharing? Please.

A perfect example is the Mariel boatlift when Castro released all of his maximum security Cuban prisoners and mental hospitals and floated them to Florida. All kinds of fake names and unimaginable crime in Florida and throughout the East Coast.

The only immigration "reform" needed is to speed up the process and reverse Ted Kennedy's disastrous immigration act of 1965 that dropped the requirement for a US sponsor (moral and financial) and monthly check in with the local police. As for those who cut the line, get them out of here.