Illegal immigration has been an ever-growing issue in many countries, however it is the United States in which the largest population of illegal immigrants resides. According to Homeland Security’s report in 2012 there is an estimated 11.4 million illegal immigrants living in the United States (“Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States”). An important perspective within the debate over illegal immigrants is the influence they have on the country's economy. The ongoing tribulations of unemployment in America are a problem that some say illegal immigrants are accountable for. In the United States, it is argued that illegal immigrants take jobs from Americans because immigrants are willing to work for lower
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It is the perception that suggests there is no link between illegal immigrants and unemployment as well as other economic issues in America. Daniel Griswold, The president of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones, wrote in his article “There Is No Evidence That Illegal Immigrants Take Jobs From Americans”, argues that illegal immigrants do not compete for jobs with Americans. There is no actual competition for jobs, but illegal immigrants are willing to work for lower wages than Americans, thus putting Americans in a position that may seem as though they have to compete for employment stability. The immigrants tend to fill in the gaps of employment where Americans fall short (Griswold). If illegal immigrants did not fill those gaps, those gaps would remain unoccupied, in turn leaving many corners in America's workforce unable to meet specific demands. “Immigrants typically fill niches in the labor market at the high end and low end of the skill spectrum, from farmworkers and dishwashers to computer scientists and physics professors” (Griswold). Mainstream belief has it that illegal immigrants only fill low skill labor positions when studies show that is not the case. In 1997, the National Research Council (NRC), completed a study which shows that immigration actually enhances American income overall by as much as $10 billion, however, there is a slight decrease in wage for the lowest skilled Americans. The NRC determined that immigration does not have a destructive effect on the wages of black Americans (Griswold). These are fascinating facts to think about, but the reality is, Illegal immigration is still an issue in America and must be addressed sooner or
It is the perception that suggests there is no link between illegal immigrants and unemployment as well as other economic issues in America. Daniel Griswold, The president of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones, wrote in his article “There Is No Evidence That Illegal Immigrants Take Jobs From Americans”, argues that illegal immigrants do not compete for jobs with Americans. There is no actual competition for jobs, but illegal immigrants are willing to work for lower wages than Americans, thus putting Americans in a position that may seem as though they have to compete for employment stability. The immigrants tend to fill in the gaps of employment where Americans fall short (Griswold). If illegal immigrants did not fill those gaps, those gaps would remain unoccupied, in turn leaving many corners in America's workforce unable to meet specific demands. “Immigrants typically fill niches in the labor market at the high end and low end of the skill spectrum, from farmworkers and dishwashers to computer scientists and physics professors” (Griswold). Mainstream belief has it that illegal immigrants only fill low skill labor positions when studies show that is not the case. In 1997, the National Research Council (NRC), completed a study which shows that immigration actually enhances American income overall by as much as $10 billion, however, there is a slight decrease in wage for the lowest skilled Americans. The NRC determined that immigration does not have a destructive effect on the wages of black Americans (Griswold). These are fascinating facts to think about, but the reality is, Illegal immigration is still an issue in America and must be addressed sooner or