Are Illegal Immigrants Taking American Jobs?

The debate over illegal immigration in America is often centered on the economic implications for the country. A central issue in this debate is whether illegal immigrants are taking American jobs. Those on one side believe that illegal immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens, while others argue that illegal immigrants only take jobs Americans don’t want. In this article, we will explore both sides of the argument.

Taking Away American Jobs

One of the most common arguments against illegal immigration is that these immigrants are taking away jobs Americans could be doing. Some believe that illegal immigrants are more willing to work for lower wages, which can drive down wages for Americans. Additionally, critics argue that illegal immigrants are being hired for entry-level positions and those with very few skills which should be filled by Americans. The argument is supported by research that reveals that the influx of illegal immigrants has had a detrimental impact on low-skilled American workers. Such workers have a higher risk of losing their jobs to an undocumented immigrant who accepts lower wages.

Jobs Americans Don’t Want?

Supporters of illegal immigration argue that illegal immigrants only take jobs that many Americans are unwilling to do. For instance, farming, construction, and service jobs that require manual labor often go unfilled due to the demands placed on such work. Moreover, some positions have a high level of physical work and are often underpaid, prompting Americans to avoid them. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top ten occupations for illegal immigrants are agriculture, landscaping, textile manufacturing, food processing, construction, hospitality, and cleaning services, none of which are being dominated by Americans.

The Bottom Line

It is essential to understand that uncontrolled illegal immigration has diverse and far-reaching effects on the economy of the United States. While it may seem logical to identify illegal immigrants as “”job stealers,”” it is necessary to consider all factors when having this conversation. Americans need to recognize the impact of illegal immigrants on the economy and the potential harm that comes when they work in ways that foster livable wages and job security for all employees. Additionally, research and data should inform policies which protect the working rights of Americans and ensure enforcement of fair hiring practices avoiding the exploitation of unskilled labor.

Conclusion

The relationship between illegal immigrants and American jobs is a highly complex issue that requires an open and honest dialogue. While some illegal immigrants may take American jobs, they might be doing so in an effort to make a living wage to support their families. However, a thoughtful approach to managing illegal immigration is needed, one that respects the rights of legitimate employees and avoids the exploitation of unskilled immigrants. Implementing strong policies will help protect the job market and contribute to a fair and competitive economy.

The fact that 83% of citizens benefit from illegal immigration because of better produce offered to consumers or the lower pay-out rates to illegal immigrant work services illustrates how beneficial their presence can be in our country. As a result, many argue that the commercial benefits of the labor performed by illegal immigrants is corollary to the overwhelming opposition to deportation laws on the part of business owners, thus rendering the argument that illegal immigration hurts the economy of the United States to be full of holes and illogical.

Stephen Moore pointed out in an article featured in The Wall Street Journal that the increased flow of illegal immigrant labor has actually been corollary to the substantial reductions in unemployment from 7.3 to 5.1 % over the last twenty years. The unemployment rates have been correspondingly fallen by 6% for African-Americans and dropped 3.5% for Latinos Immigrant unemployment rates were lower than the national average unemployment rate in the U.S.

Many immigrant families have a positive fiscal impact on the U.S. by adding around $88,000 into tax revenues than they consume.

Social Security payroll taxes paid by undocumented and incorrectly identified workers has led to a $463 billion surplus funding.

A macroeconomic argument that is especially sound for highly educated people with backgrounds in science, engineering, and information technology.

Capping the number of H-1B visas would limit the potential of America’s business competitiveness.

The above statistics were drawn from an economy still on the rise. Now, with unemployment rates higher and joblessness growing among large swaths of the population, this conclusion differs. Even with the aforementioned benefits of illegal immigration, a large percentage of the population believes in stricter deportation policy for an illegal immigrant and this sentiment only grows in a depressed economy.

In this light, the only socioeconomic group hurt by illegal immigration is the bottom-rung of the American society, a statistically small segment of the population. Rather, the vast majority of Americans benefit from lower wages paid to illegal immigrants as this correlates to cheaper production and services. In addition, the jobs for which illegal immigrants compete tend to be outside the normal range of American employment-opportunity as most see them to be undesirable.

Furthermore, many argue that a sudden deportation of the illegal immigration population would result in an economic freeze, rather than the supposed job opportunity and increased wages. This stems from the need that the American economy places on illegal immigrant work.

As a result, deportation is not the only option; our economy heavily relies on illegal immigrant work to sustain our economic foothold in the world. However, a need to oversee the immigration process structure should merely consider deportation an option for criminal behavior. Illegal immigrants contribute a great amount to our society as non-citizens, sometimes considered to be the backbone of our country.