It is often said that illegal immigrants steal jobs and depress wages. This statement is at least partially true: illegal immigrants do often work for less than their American counterparts, and this does result in some natives losing jobs to immigrant labor. However, the story doesn’t end there.
When an employer spends less for the same amount of labor—when, in other words, an employer pays lower wages for the same amount of work—that employer’s profits increase, other things being equal. When profits increase in an industry, new firms enter that industry. The establishment of these new businesses means two things: there are more buyers of labor and more sellers of product.
When there are more buyers of labor (more employers), there are not only more jobs, but there is more demand for labor, which drives the price of labor (wages) up. Wages continue to increase until employers can no longer make a profit, meaning until laborers are paid their real market worth.
When there are more sellers of a product, the price of that product decreases because of competition. This directly benefits the consumers of that product. When consumers pay less for the same product, they have more money available for other purposes. They may spend that money elsewhere or save and invest it, growing the economy in either case and providing employment.
Remember also that illegal immigrants are not just producers, but consumers as well. Their economic activity in this capacity also provides employment.
Therefore, while some Americans, even many Americans, suffer temporary displacement because of low-wage immigrant labor (and while such displacement is definitely a serious issue in tough economic times like these) the idea that illegal immigrants harm the economy in the long run could not be less true.
Long term, illegal immigrants do not steal jobs or depress wages. They do increase efficiency. I’ll leave it to the reader to decide if getting more with less hurts the economy; only remember that if efficiency is bad, we should dig our ditches with spoons, build our dams like beavers, and destroy technology until we’re back to hunting and gathering–a lifestyle that ensures full employment for the native- and foreign-born.
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Do you not realize that they are ILLEGAL. Meaning that they should not be in America, so in no way is it okay for them to be taking the jobs of American citizens no matter the short or long term effects.
GO BOB!.
Bob:
You need to educate yourself.
I agree completely. They are illegal and shouldn’t be hear period regardless if they help or hurt our economy.
They most definitely hurt the economy. Some highly skilled laborers entering the film industry require “day jobs” to pay the rent while they develope their careers in entertainment. Brad Pitt shoveled shit at the LA zoo before he got his break. I can almost guarantee that job is now filled by a non-English speaking worker. I am a composer for film trailers and I too have found it nearly impossible to get a job as a waiter (even with 5+ years of experience). My roommate from India worked under the table at his restaurant. He even told me that almost all the dozens of Indian restaurants in our area only hire non-american workers. So I know for a fact that important jobs that young American artists rely on to survive are being taken away. This will most surely have an impact on the economy.
Bob:
do you not realize that jaywalking is ILLEGAL. Meaning that you should not jaywalk, so in no way is it okay for you to cross the street while not on a crosswalk no matter how empty that road may be.
Laws should enforce what’s right, not dictate what’s right and wrong. Just because something’s illegal doesn’t automatically make it wrong.