Too much illegal immigration? That’s not the problem. We need more
immigrant workers

BY PETER CRABB NORTHWEST NAZARENE UNIVERSITY JULY 05, 2022 11:44 AM

"The Biden administration may be ready to lower trade barriers. Tariffs
on products from China could be lowered as part of an effort to mitigate inflation. What’s missing from the discussion are the barriers to trade
in labor. Lowering the barriers foreign workers face may be just what
our economy needs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that labor
market participation in the United States at 62% remains below
pre-pandemic levels. Employers continue to have trouble filling many
positions.

Meanwhile, members of Congress and the public remain concerned that
there is too much illegal immigration into the U.S. But the data suggest otherwise. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, the number of
undocumented immigrants in the U.S. grew from 2000 to 2011. But the
trend reversed in 2012, and as percent of the workforce, the change is
even greater.

It is also important to note the characteristics of undocumented
residents. The Pew data show that nearly two-thirds of all unauthorized immigrants have been in the United States for at least a decade, and
illegal entry from Mexico is declining. Contrary to the belief of many,
fewer than two-thirds of unauthorized immigrants are from our neighbor
to the south. Idaho officials have previously argued that undocumented immigrants take jobs from the state’s unemployed workers. But the labor market conditions today take the wind out of that argument. According to
the Idaho Department of Labor, total state employment has risen and the unemployment rate is below the national average. If we are going to
reduce trade barriers to control the price of goods and services, it is
a good time to also consider how we treat immigrants. Economic theory
and empirical evidence show that immigration is a net positive.
[snip]

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/article263183043.html

TB

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)