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Welcoming more immigrants could help boost the U.S. economy
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Jeremy Hobson: President Obama says he is planning another push for immigration reform in the coming weeks and months. He met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus about the issue earlier this week. The President wants to provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are already here illegally.
And we're going to dig into the economics of this now with our economics correspondent Chris Farrell. Good morning.
Chris Farrell: Good morning, Jeremy.
Hobson: Is immigration policy a place where we should look for economic growth?
Farrell: Look, Jeremy, I know it's controversial, but there's just a large body of economic research that says immigration, immigrants -- it's the steroids of economic growth. So if you think of companies like Intel or Google, a lot of their employees -- they're immigrants. The high-tech sector: 52 percent or about half of all companies starting up in Silicon Valley -- started up by immigrants. So one of the best things that we could do for this economy is just to tone down the rhetoric and put out the welcome mat.
Hobson: Put out the welcome mat. And I saw that Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City recently said that one day to do that is say, yeah sure, immigrants come on in, as long as you promise to move to Detroit for a while.
Farrell: Well it's brilliant. Detroit has lost 26 percent of its population over the past decade. I mean, this city is really struggling. But Jeremy, think about neighborhoods over the past 20, 30 years in New York, Minneapolis, Los Angeles. They were burned-out neighborhoods; immigrants moved in, they started small businesses, opened restaurants, markets -- and these neighborhoods were revitalized. So let's do it to a whole city.
Hobson: Well Chris, there are some people that are going to hear that and still be very skeptical and say, this is a time when we've got very high unemployment -- why would we want to bring in all of these new immigrants to crowd the labor force?
Farrell: Because over the long run -- and we'll define the long run as 10 years -- over the long run, immigrants add to productivity, they add to average incomes, and they don't take jobs away from native-born Americans. So in the short run, this is the worst downturn since the 1930s; everyone gets hurt. But in the long run, we all benefit.
Hobson: Marketplace economics correspondent Chris Farrell. Thanks Chris.
Farrell: Thanks a lot.
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WTF was that all about??? Uncontrolled immigration is a cancer eating away at the established culture of the US and a massive financial burden.
Roll out the welcome mate to illegals already here? Why reward a criminal with what he coveted in the first place? This makes crime certainly pay.
Let's keep immigration limited to the right kind of people: those who ca aford to come here, can contribute to the tax pool and employ Americans, and themselves as well. Canadians, aussies, Kiwi's, british and those from Western Europe should be especially welcome, with unfetterred, easy access to the USA for immigration and investment purposes. These are the kind of people we need coming here, and who can help make America great again.
The lowest paid jobs USED to be what H.S. kids would get part-time. Yu know, to learn some responsibility. Like McD's or Burger Barf. NOW who has ALL those jobs? That's right. Non-English speaking ILLEGAL 'immigrants'. And my HS kid is out of a typical HS kid job. But this moron writer thinks that's the way to go. He should go back under the Liars Rock he came out from under. And share the space with these 'immigrants' he loves so much.
They're destroying OUR country.
Please, no BS about 'we are all immigrants'. That lie is old too.
How are we destroying "your" country? Who does all the hard work you won't do? Are you willing to work under the hot sun as a construction worker? How about in the fields picking strawberries or whatever vegetable, and fruits you find at stores? Maybe you want to try working in a meatpacking factory in the freezers cutting meat so "YOU" can eat your hamburgers and steaks. I agree too much immigration causes problems, but its BS that people like you say we come to destroy your country. I know there are lazy Mexicans, Guatemalans, Salvadorians, etc. out there that just come to take advantage of the government, but most of us actually come to work. Those lazy hispanics are the ones you should be complaining about instead of talking about everyone.
America doesn't any immigrants at this time and I would suggest to stop immigration completely because millions of people who are in this country are unemployed. Why in the world do we need immigrants. I think Mayor Bloomberg doesn't understand that in reality the people who are coming over are taking up jobs that can by all means by filled by an American worker. Moreover, We need a better training infrastructure within this country to train the millions of people are unemployed and are held back from going to schools due to lack of finances. I am also surprised by the way, Mr. Bloomberg assumes that higher immigration will magically have an immediate impact recovery because even high skilled immigrants that come here are dependent on government benefits for at least few years until they establish themselves. In the meantime, it adds upto increase the unemployment rate within this country.
I think people are sick of the lies and you pro-immigrant liars know it. Those companies like Google were not started by illegal aliens from Mexico that are high school dropouts. And EVERY CITY in the US with high immigration is a crime-infested backwards cesspit. Pretty hard to talk your way out of the facts but boy you sure try referencing nefarious "economic data."
well you have to be stupid enough not to admit that there is a huge difference in exporting jobs and importing workers - what immigration means
immigrants buy homes and food, and commodities and services in US while exported jobs mean better paid people elsewhere buying food, shelter and commodities elsewhere, paying taxes elsewhere
so even if they are half legal still the US benefits the most of they work, only a small part they send home is lost .. while having an exported job all the money exits the us economy
Wow you have had your brains educated right out of your heads haven't you? Is this what is meant by mental masturbation? Duh Hello? Immigrants have been pushing citizens out of the job market at all levels for decades now. Your inanity renders you irrelevant.
Intel and Google hire cheap foreign workers to suppress the wages of qualified Americans who would have done the job if they had been considered for the openings. The fact is, someone would have done those jobs if the allure of having indentured servants wasn't so appealing to the management of these companies.
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