Undocumented labor: solutions, not scapegoating
Trump has promised to deport >10 million undocumented people living in the US. He justifies this by saying they are dangerous criminals. In fact, immigrants commit crimes at a *lower* rate than US citizens. He has announced his intention to deploy US troops in US streets to capture and detain people who are claimed to be undocumented.
Trump also justifies the massive deportation on the grounds that the undocumented are taking lots of jobs from citizens. The facts and evidence don’t support that assertion:
“A recent synthesis of dozens of studies found that immigration had only a very slight negative impact on the wages of less-educated native-born workers. A comprehensive overview by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found modest negative effects only for some earlier immigrants and for teenagers. A paper published this spring, whose authors included Giovanni Peri, an economist at the University of California, Davis, found that immigration had a positive impact on U.S. workers.
“Why could that be? Immigrants don’t just add labor to an economy; they also add demand for goods and services, which creates jobs for other people. Also, those coming illegally tend to have low levels of education. The jobs they do, like working in meatpacking plants, allow more native-born workers to move into positions as supervisors, salespeople and accountants.
“It really matters how you ask the questions,” said Janice Fine, director of the Workplace Justice Lab at Rutgers University, who has long studied immigrants and the workforce. “Neoclassical economists were modeling the relationship, but they weren’t going to particular labor markets in real time and looking at what had happened.”
Indeed, labor unions are working to improve the status of undocumented workers:
“Second, labor unions had figured out that it was possible to organize with immigrants. Those increasingly diversified organizations — including the Service Employees International Union, which represents immigrant-heavy sectors like janitorial work and health care — began to fight for protections for workers lacking permanent legal status, rather than to exclude them from the country.
“In recent years, labor unions and politicians they support have argued for a path to legal status for those who have lived in the United States for years without authorization. They also generally support changes to guest worker programs, used in seasonal industries like agriculture, fishing, hospitality and landscaping, that would raise pay and allow workers to move around to different jobs. Such provisions could make employers less likely to use those programs to undercut wages for Americans.”
Trump’s deportations will be expensive and inhumane. They will drive inflation—the very issue that helped get him elected—by reducing goods and services previously provided by undocumented labor, and by making employers pay more for replacement labor. What we need is more rational ways to welcome immigrants, not the militarization of immigration enforcement.
The economics and inhumanity of Trump’s deportation scheme
Trump also justifies the massive deportation on the grounds that the undocumented are taking lots of jobs from citizens. The facts and evidence don’t support that assertion:
“A recent synthesis of dozens of studies found that immigration had only a very slight negative impact on the wages of less-educated native-born workers. A comprehensive overview by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found modest negative effects only for some earlier immigrants and for teenagers. A paper published this spring, whose authors included Giovanni Peri, an economist at the University of California, Davis, found that immigration had a positive impact on U.S. workers.
“Why could that be? Immigrants don’t just add labor to an economy; they also add demand for goods and services, which creates jobs for other people. Also, those coming illegally tend to have low levels of education. The jobs they do, like working in meatpacking plants, allow more native-born workers to move into positions as supervisors, salespeople and accountants.
“It really matters how you ask the questions,” said Janice Fine, director of the Workplace Justice Lab at Rutgers University, who has long studied immigrants and the workforce. “Neoclassical economists were modeling the relationship, but they weren’t going to particular labor markets in real time and looking at what had happened.”
Indeed, labor unions are working to improve the status of undocumented workers:
“Second, labor unions had figured out that it was possible to organize with immigrants. Those increasingly diversified organizations — including the Service Employees International Union, which represents immigrant-heavy sectors like janitorial work and health care — began to fight for protections for workers lacking permanent legal status, rather than to exclude them from the country.
“In recent years, labor unions and politicians they support have argued for a path to legal status for those who have lived in the United States for years without authorization. They also generally support changes to guest worker programs, used in seasonal industries like agriculture, fishing, hospitality and landscaping, that would raise pay and allow workers to move around to different jobs. Such provisions could make employers less likely to use those programs to undercut wages for Americans.”
Trump’s deportations will be expensive and inhumane. They will drive inflation—the very issue that helped get him elected—by reducing goods and services previously provided by undocumented labor, and by making employers pay more for replacement labor. What we need is more rational ways to welcome immigrants, not the militarization of immigration enforcement.
The economics and inhumanity of Trump’s deportation scheme
Rational thinking Americans understand that most undocumented immigrants are here for a better life for themselves and their families. They just want the immigrants to play by the rules and law (including the businesses that hire them). This includes paying taxes. I think if Democrats came up with a policy of “voluntary documentation or face deportation” most Americans would be on board with that. Get a ITIN, valid drivers license and work towards citizenship. No more sanctuary cities. And of course any criminal activity and you’re gone. Unless Democrats do something, they will continue to lose this battle with voters.
@Mark,
Undocumented workers already pay taxes. They pay into SS and Medicare using fake SS numbers, so they will never get anything back while they subsidize the system for citizens. They pay sales taxes. They pay property taxes through their rent.
eVerify already exists as a form of documentation for workers. Employers won’t use it.
Undocumented immigrants who commit crimes are already arrested and deported.
What, exactly, do you want Democrats to do, now that Congress and the WH will be controlled by Republicans? Maybe you should learn about immigration and American politics before offering unsolicited advice.
So you suggest Democrats do nothing and continue losing on the border issue? You are okay with using fake SS numbers? You are okay with them driving without a license? All I am saying is campaign on “voluntary documentation or face deportation”. I was taught to never criticize without offering a constructive solution. What do you suggest Democrats do?
@Mark,
No. You need to work on reading comprehension.
Go back and read my comments.
But thanks for asking: I suggest Democrats resist the Trump massive deportations. I suggest that Democrats uphold American values by supporting and defending immigrants.
Hope that helps.
@ Mark,
I doubt the Republicans would agree to your voluntary documentation proposal if it would allow the migrants to stay legally. Their business interest supporters seem to prefer the status quo to help guarantee their low labor costs. Ironically, it was Reagan who last arranged for amnesty for those in the country but then shut down the border to new arrivals and that situation led up to the present one.
I am talking about winning the PR war. I doubt Trump has any intention of deporting 10 million illegal immigrants. It would cost too much, business likes the cheap labor, and it would lead to higher food costs. He says it to get elected. Just like building the wall to get elected in 2016. He can’t use that lie again so he had to up the ante with deportation. And when it doesn’t happen he will find a way to blame Democrats like he did with the wall. Democrats need to do something to win the PR war because the status quo of of telling the American electorate that we oppose Trump and support immigrants is not working.
Maybe we’re going to have to wait for the voters to figure stuff out by actually reading and thinking. I know it’s too much to ask but it’s the only thing that will work. People will only learn from their pain as they did from the Depression years ago.
Jack, I respect your opinion. Mine differs in thinking Democrats need to do more. But what I won’t do is insult your intelligence and what you do or don’t know about the immigration system or politics based on your opinion given in a few paragraphs on a blog. Best wishes.
Mark,
Thanks for the civility. I just don’t know what they could do that would make any difference.
Jack:
I think you are right. If Dems did say something? It would have to be simple. So many, just do not understand the ramifications of a Trump dictate, real or fake.
Control the borders more effectively and deport criminals as quickly as possible. Those will be not so easy, but sort of the absolute minimum. I think it is too early to conclude that a large deportation program will be inhumane but it almost certainly will be expensive.
@Eric,
I think it is obvious that a large deportation program will be inhumane as well as expensive, both in dollars and in democracy. Trump intends to deploy the military in American streets to enforce his deportation program. WWSD (What Would Stalin Do)?