The Impact of Immigration on the American Workforce and Economy

Myth vs. Fact: Immigration and American Workers

• Myth: Immigration hurts American workers by taking jobs and driving wages down.
• Fact: Immigrants are entrepreneurial, creating companies and jobs, increasing employment opportunities, and boosting wages for native-born workers. They complement American workers with different skills and educational backgrounds.

Immigration Facts

• Immigrants and legal immigration are beneficial for the U.S. economy, boosting recovery efforts post-pandemic.
• Family-based immigration promotes unity and integration, core American values.
• Severely limiting legal immigration poses risks to economic recovery and public health.

Education and Skills

• Myth: Immigrants are poorly educated and unskilled.
• Fact: Many immigrants are well-educated, with 43% of recent family and diversity-based immigrants being college graduates compared to 29% of Americans. Immigrants contribute significantly to entrepreneurship and innovation.

Annual Levels of Immigration

• Myth: The U.S. does not need more immigrants.
• Fact: Immigrants are crucial as the U.S. population ages, filling workforce gaps and supporting economic growth.

Taxes and Essential Services

• Myth: Immigrants burden essential services.
• Fact: Immigrants contribute significantly to tax revenue, which funds essential services and boost the Social Security fund.

Economic Impact

• Myth: Immigrants drain the U.S. economy.
• Fact: Immigrants drive economic growth and have substantial spending power, greatly contributing to the GDP and tax revenues.

International Students

• Myth: International students take jobs from Americans.
• Fact: They contribute to the economy through spending, tuition fees, and innovation.

Mass Deportation

• Myth: Deporting undocumented immigrants is beneficial for the economy.
• Fact: Mass deportation would have huge economic costs and social impact.

Employment-Based Immigration

• Myth: Work visas underpay immigrant workers and replace Americans.
• Fact: Immigrants fill essential roles without hurting native-born wages, crucial especially during the pandemic.

Humanitarian Protections

• Myth: Resettling refugees is financially burdensome.
• Fact: Refugees contribute positively to the economy and have a high entrepreneurial rate.

Dreamers and the Economy

• Myth: Dreamers are a drain on the economy.
• Fact: Providing legal status to Dreamers boosts GDP and economic contributions.

Pathway to Citizenship

• Myth: Offering citizenship to undocumented immigrants harms American workers.
• Fact: It would significantly boost GDP, increase incomes, and generate tax revenue.

Conclusion

• FWD.us advocates for commonsense immigration reform to keep the U.S. competitive globally.
• Sources include various reputable institutions and think tanks.