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Immigrants contribute to the economy more than everBY CAMILLE BAUTISTAThe United States has earned its title as the land of opportunity and the economy has reaped the benefits of being a melting pot of cultures.
Now recent reports by the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli affirm that immigrants in New York have significantly contributed to economic growth. “A lot of immigrants work two or three jobs at a time, cleaning houses during the day, opening the store at night,” said Antonio Meloni, executive director of Immigration Advocacy Services, Inc. in Astoria. “They are helping the economy because they are strivers rather than shirkers.” According to the FPI 2009 report, “Immigrants and the Economy,” immigrants nationwide have contributed to the economy in close proportion to their share of the population. The share of economic output of the five million immigrants in the New York metropolitan area, who make up 28 percent of the population, is at 28 percent. Over the past decade, fiscal growth has increased 35 percent in the region, alongside with the immigrant share of the labor force. “Immigration reform could be helped if these numbers would be brought out,” said Meloni. “If we allow economic growth to take place within the immigrant community, the benefits aren’t just given to them. This could help the economy as a whole, no reverse prejudice.” Foreign-born workers in New York are earning equal amounts to their U.S. born counterparts in higher wage occupations, such as the medical field, according to FPI. However, the population is more concentrated in lower-wage and blue-collar jobs, where the earnings are considerably less. Forty-five percent of cleaning and building workers and 54 percent of food service workers are immigrants. The fact that immigrants are more likely to work in a wider range of jobs attributes to their considerable share in the economy. Many are entrepreneurs and small business owners. In Queens, the number of businesses grew at a faster rate than the rest of the city, by nearly 12 percent. “What most people don’t realize is that these people are not eligible for government assistance so they have to rely on their work ethics,” said Meloni. The top 10 neighborhoods in New York City with the highest concentration of foreign-born residents had greater economic growth than the rest of the city, according to the State Comptroller report of January 2010. The top five include Elmhurst/Corona, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside/Woodside, Forest Hills/Rego Park, and Flushing/Whitestone. Of all the boroughs, Queens has the highest concentration of the immigrant population, at 47 percent. Dominicans make up the largest amount of immigrants in the city, followed by Chinese, Jamaicans, and Mexicans. Many believe that consequence of these findings could hold hope for immigration reform in the future. But there are still hurdles to overcome. “What we saw in our study certainly underscores the important role that immigrants are playing in the economy and also points out some areas where there are potential problems,” said David Kallick, director of FPI’s Immigration Research Initiative, adding that immigration reform has to be done right so that it doesn’t have serious consequences for the economy. “The obvious problem now is that you have large numbers of undocumented workers, and the channels for legal immigration are far too narrow,” said Kallick. |
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of queenscourier.com.
Brittanicus wrote on Feb 3, 2010 10:50 PM:
" Will the politicians that we elect ever carry out the interests of the American people? I read today on the AMERICAN PATROL website that President Obama is in a discussion to cap government money such as cutting back on NASA appropriations the sending men back to the moon in 1020? Yet we are still spending--BILLIONS--on illegal immigrants who have managed to settle here? If we cannot afford to go back to the moon, how can we afford to pay for illegal immigration? Obama can find billions to Prop-up States like Sanctuary California to pay for illegal immigrants, but he cannot find the cash to pay for space exploration. How can we allow millions of poor people to continue to cross our borders? So why are taxpayers forced by pariah lawmakers to pay for education, health care and even now anticipating BILLIONS more dollars to enact a ominous Comprehensive Immigration Reform? We all know by now, that this is a very crafty way to pass another AMNESTY. These people who have entered this country without permission? Every time a new immigration enforcement is passed, the open border Liberal-Democrats-Republicans use their influence to water the law down. How many of us know, that the controversial border fence is by law supposed to be--TWO SEPARATE--FENCES? Senator Obama voted for it. more than three years ago, but only 35 miles of double-layered fencing is in place and much of the remaining 360 miles of the border fencing is badly constructed--without real barriers. The Truth is the government is lying to us.
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 (Pub.L. 109-367) was enacted October 26, 2006 in the United States. The act allows for over 700 miles (1,100 km) of double-reinforced fence to be built along the border with Mexico across cities and deserts alike, in the U.S. states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in areas that have experienced illegal drug trafficking, human slavery, gun peddling, illegal immigration and the threat of terrorism. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California who was the originator of the double fence, has not seen this happen, nor the complete wall that is just open areas, with the old barbed wire strands. Underfunded from its inception, the border fence was compromised by the open border organization, that includes American business consortium's. As in Washington today, a team of intelligence operatives stated to Speaker Pelosi that a El Queda attack was imminent within the next 6 months. This is the time to enforce our borders with the National Guard fully armed and obviously apparent along the whole 2000 feet length. The majority of our State economies are broke--with California leading the pack. Arizona lawmakers realizing the main cause of their financial dilemma, the support of illegal workers and their families.
E-Verify is one of the most successful mechanisms to remove illegal workers, but as yet it is not mandatory. It costs nothing to use it and it has been demonized by every pro-illegal immigrant group, along with corrupt politicians and their financial clients in the business consortium's. E-Verify must be national, with no exclusions. THIS SHOULD BECOME THE No.1 PRIORITY FOR EVERY SMALL AND LARGE COMPANY, THAT KNOWINGLY HIRING A FOREIGN WORKERS CARRIES PENALTIES SUCH AS HARSH FINES AND PRISON SENTENCES. THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE?
Our GOVERNMENT HAS SOLD ITSELF TO WALL STREET AND BOTH WALL STREET AND THE UNITED STATES ARE DEBTORS TO COMMUNIST CHINA. We cannot afford to subsidize every illegal family member, every Mother with a child who becomes an instant citizen, when 15 million Americans and residents are jobless, when our own people live in poverty. Yes! We always need exceptional highly skilled engineers and scientists, but not the indigent and desperate that we must endlessly financially support. Not semi-skilled labor that will take less wages, than our own people, who themselves will end up in the unemployment benefits line. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to be connected to your Senator and Congressman and use the voting power of THE PEOPLE. Go to NUMBERSUSA AND JUDICIAL WATCH for more information about this catastrophe that could overwhelm this country in the coming months. "
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 (Pub.L. 109-367) was enacted October 26, 2006 in the United States. The act allows for over 700 miles (1,100 km) of double-reinforced fence to be built along the border with Mexico across cities and deserts alike, in the U.S. states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in areas that have experienced illegal drug trafficking, human slavery, gun peddling, illegal immigration and the threat of terrorism. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California who was the originator of the double fence, has not seen this happen, nor the complete wall that is just open areas, with the old barbed wire strands. Underfunded from its inception, the border fence was compromised by the open border organization, that includes American business consortium's. As in Washington today, a team of intelligence operatives stated to Speaker Pelosi that a El Queda attack was imminent within the next 6 months. This is the time to enforce our borders with the National Guard fully armed and obviously apparent along the whole 2000 feet length. The majority of our State economies are broke--with California leading the pack. Arizona lawmakers realizing the main cause of their financial dilemma, the support of illegal workers and their families.
E-Verify is one of the most successful mechanisms to remove illegal workers, but as yet it is not mandatory. It costs nothing to use it and it has been demonized by every pro-illegal immigrant group, along with corrupt politicians and their financial clients in the business consortium's. E-Verify must be national, with no exclusions. THIS SHOULD BECOME THE No.1 PRIORITY FOR EVERY SMALL AND LARGE COMPANY, THAT KNOWINGLY HIRING A FOREIGN WORKERS CARRIES PENALTIES SUCH AS HARSH FINES AND PRISON SENTENCES. THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE?
Our GOVERNMENT HAS SOLD ITSELF TO WALL STREET AND BOTH WALL STREET AND THE UNITED STATES ARE DEBTORS TO COMMUNIST CHINA. We cannot afford to subsidize every illegal family member, every Mother with a child who becomes an instant citizen, when 15 million Americans and residents are jobless, when our own people live in poverty. Yes! We always need exceptional highly skilled engineers and scientists, but not the indigent and desperate that we must endlessly financially support. Not semi-skilled labor that will take less wages, than our own people, who themselves will end up in the unemployment benefits line. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to be connected to your Senator and Congressman and use the voting power of THE PEOPLE. Go to NUMBERSUSA AND JUDICIAL WATCH for more information about this catastrophe that could overwhelm this country in the coming months. "
Ali wrote on Feb 5, 2010 10:30 AM:
" Those "contributions" immigrants make, legal or illegal, are made on the backs of American workers, the workers who are displaced from jobs or who see their wages stagnate and at the same time are expected to pay high taxes to cover the costs of services to "immigrants". Remove illegal aliens, cut down on legal immigration and you'll see AMERICANS doing those jobs, probably at higher wages, paying more in taxes, and spending more in consumption.
If "immigrants" are such a boon to the economy, then why is "immigrant"-heavy Los Angeles on the verge of bankruptcy? Why is California deeply in the red? Certainly, high expenditures on services and depressed revenues due to illegal aliens are not the WHOLE story, but they're a BIG part of it.
And next time, rather than being dazzled by phrases such as "economic growth", ask yourself who is benefiting from this growth--chances are, it's the immigrants themselves who largely hire and spend within their own communities and bring over their own relatives for jobs. For that matter, "economic growth" really should be looked at PER CAPITA. Mexico, for example, is a WEALTHY country, ranking number 13 or 14 in terms of GDP, yet most people would consider it somewhat poor because on a per capita basis, it ranks number 54 due to its high population. "
If "immigrants" are such a boon to the economy, then why is "immigrant"-heavy Los Angeles on the verge of bankruptcy? Why is California deeply in the red? Certainly, high expenditures on services and depressed revenues due to illegal aliens are not the WHOLE story, but they're a BIG part of it.
And next time, rather than being dazzled by phrases such as "economic growth", ask yourself who is benefiting from this growth--chances are, it's the immigrants themselves who largely hire and spend within their own communities and bring over their own relatives for jobs. For that matter, "economic growth" really should be looked at PER CAPITA. Mexico, for example, is a WEALTHY country, ranking number 13 or 14 in terms of GDP, yet most people would consider it somewhat poor because on a per capita basis, it ranks number 54 due to its high population. "
Robin xxxx wrote on Feb 9, 2010 6:26 PM:
" I work in the work force in a community that does not have many different cultures. However, I have seen many immigrant's in the hospitals, hotels, airports cleaning etc. I wish we had immigrants in our area. They work! American's are forgetting their jobs and not working hard. I see more and more people at my work NOT doing their job. They are on the their cell phones, I-pods, etc. You don't even want to know about the knitting. I'm serious. We are a spoiled nation. I hate to say that but it has arrived. We have Unions that fight for workers who should have lost their job for failure to perform job duties. Yet they make good money and continue their behaviors even after being reprimand. How fortuntate to have someone fight for your rights. Immigants who want to work and have a place to call home should be granted a home, and employment. America is the melting pot.
I met a man yesterday at the hospital who was visiting a friend. He is 65 yr. old He has been in our country since President Ronald Reagan encouraged the wall to come down. He has no retirement but has taken care of many American familes illegally. He has no retirement, and no current job. His friend he worked for was dieing. He will have no where else to go but to find another who will take him for employment.
I asked him why don't you just apply for citizenship? His answer was afraid of being rejected.Afraid of not qualifying. Yet this man has a drivers license and his own car. He has been in the country for 19 1/2 years. How sad is that? I believe my country can do better than that. I feel compassion for this man. He was distraught about his situation. I did not know how to help him. I could only pray for him the system would be fair to him and help. I would like to help him but I have no knowledge where to begin. "
I met a man yesterday at the hospital who was visiting a friend. He is 65 yr. old He has been in our country since President Ronald Reagan encouraged the wall to come down. He has no retirement but has taken care of many American familes illegally. He has no retirement, and no current job. His friend he worked for was dieing. He will have no where else to go but to find another who will take him for employment.
I asked him why don't you just apply for citizenship? His answer was afraid of being rejected.Afraid of not qualifying. Yet this man has a drivers license and his own car. He has been in the country for 19 1/2 years. How sad is that? I believe my country can do better than that. I feel compassion for this man. He was distraught about his situation. I did not know how to help him. I could only pray for him the system would be fair to him and help. I would like to help him but I have no knowledge where to begin. "
Carl wrote on Feb 9, 2010 7:56 PM:
" with a name like that... Brittanicus, I can imagine how American you are in the first place.... yes, instead to assume the responsibility of people that we INVITED to this country through decades, I believe that we should invest on the moon exploration, but ONLY if they agree to send YOU (one way trip) to there... and forget about it... (I bet that you'll be able to find your way around there better than millions of people that live without any rights (even paying their taxes and dues) in this country for decades... respecting and knowing about the system much more than true Americans that live off the government, without any need of it... Yes, they need to send narrow people mind just like you, to fix and to populate the moon and there you can create your own laws and spread your bigotry about things that you barely understand. "
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