General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWar on Immigrants will be costly
Last edited Thu Feb 23, 2017, 07:25 PM - Edit history (1)
"Illegal immigrants" are not costing us a dime but without them, it may well break state budgets across the country.
First and foremost let us dispose of the ridiculous talking point that illegal immigrants are taking our jobs.
Those last 8 words are key "representing roughly 5 percent of the domestic labor force."
"Illegal immigrants" are not causing anyone to be unemployed. 5% of the workforce is not locking job seekers out of the market. If you are unemployed it likely is because of one or all these reasons in your state: Poor education/no affordable educational opportunities, poor infrastructure investment and low wages are likely the reason you are unemployed.
It is against federal law for non-citizens to obtain public assistance or federal student loans. Therefore they are not "taking from the system" when not paying federal income taxes
Despite that they do pay taxes. As much or more than anyone. They buy fuel: gas tax to county, state and federal. They buy food and other items: sales taxes to city, county and/or state. They buy property: taxes and fees to city, county and state.
There are many industries that are heavily dependent on what might be termed "illegal immigrants" that would suffer significant loses without that labor and would have no one to do that work if they didn't...just ask Alabama: HB56 crushed many local economies and cost small businesses millions in lost sales, others lost millions training and turnovers and lost production and produce literally rotted in the fields because they could not find anyone to do the work. Communities lost millions in taxes.
Here is the other argument countered: if an unemployed or marginally employed person wants one of these jobs, working in a tomato field or chicken processing plant, in Alabama or Georgia or North Carolina or Arizona, no one is stopping them from applying. The reality is that they just do not.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The impact to everything from tourism to scientific research has not even started to ring up its cost and it's a cost that will be felt for decades to come.
Reference sources:
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-01/study-undocumented-immigrants-pay-billions-in-taxes
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/local/alabama-law-drives-out-illegal-immigrants-but-also-has-unexpected-consequences/2012/06/17/gJQA3Rm0jV_story.html
http://billmoyers.com/2013/12/19/how-the-harshest-immigration-law-in-the-us-ended-in-disaster/
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/01/trumps-immigration-ban-is-already-harming-americas-scientistsand-its-science/514859/
https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2017/02/14/trump-ban-causes-tourism-drop-and-industry-fears-lasting-effect/yzMAVzeLvqywP8gEekoFsL/story.html
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)In the age of Trump, memes count for far more than facts.
underpants
(182,988 posts)logosoco
(3,208 posts)that I would have thought of even without sources. But the Republicans for YEARS have been convincing their base that the immigrants are coming in and getting food stamps and free medical care. I am not even sure if these facts will make them see it otherwise.
These are people who honestly believe tRump is paying for all of his travels to Florida every weekend.
It's hard to make people see facts when they choose to believe what they want to believe.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)things going to get really weird around these life fundamentals now that the republican-russain wrecking Krewe is mucking things up.
haele
(12,688 posts)By requiring the states to expand more money to pursue undocumented immigrants because of an unfunded federal mandate, the GOP is pushing the states into fee for service and eventually selling off of state assets and privatization of services they can no longer provide.
Of course, that is what the end game is for Corporatists...
Haele
Demit
(11,238 posts)I read that elsewhere and I don't understand it.
angrychair
(8,750 posts)Systemic low wages, regional or broader, suppress economies, therefore they don't grow or expand, less money going into the local economy for goods and services, fewer small businesses, less opportunity.
Demit
(11,238 posts)angrychair
(8,750 posts)You are very welcome
Cosmocat
(14,583 posts)what they are doing, the just relentlessly gin their pods up to a foaming rage over issue like this, the ACA, Muslims, and if the country is stupid enough to put them into power, they forge ahead with policies not based on real problems or any kind of rationale thought process, just the end result of their craven politicing for power.