War on Immigrants will be costly

[angrychair]

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.

The Pew Research Center recently estimated there were more than 8 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally who were either employed or looking for work in the country in 2012, representing roughly 5 percent of the domestic labor force.

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 were roughly 11 million immigrants estimated to be in the U.S. illegally as of 2013, according to the report. And each and every state collects at least a few million dollars from tax payments made by such immigrants each year, ranging from Montana's $2.2 million to California's $3.2 billion.

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]

1. Recommended.

In the age of Trump, memes count for far more than facts.

[underpants]

2. Excellent post.

[logosoco]

3. This is good, solid information

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]

4. farms & food going in the KGOP crap hole big time

things going to get really weird around these life fundamentals now that the republican-russain wrecking Krewe is mucking things up.

[haele]

5. Interesting. It's almost as if it's a plan to also break the states.

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]

6. What does it mean that low wages are a reason to be unemployed?

I read that elsewhere and I don't understand it.

[angrychair]

7. Several ways

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]

8. Ah, I see the connection now. Of course. Thanks!

[angrychair]

10. No problem at all

You are very welcome

[Cosmocat]

9. Like EVERYTHING else, the assholes don't have the first fucking clue

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.