Economy

By Josh Raizner, Cyrus Pacht, and Gal Egozi
toc The majority of illegal immigrants take jobs of lower pay, responsibility, and complexity because they have not received a quality education, while 53 percent of Americans, according to the 2002 American Community Survey, have a college education. The 53 percent of Americans who did graduate from college are looking for a well paying job and a job more complex than housekeeping or construction. This creates little job competition between Americans and illegal aliens while still benefiting the economy. Without illegal immigrants taking jobs that are necessary for everyday life to proceed smoothly, the economy would suffer. Also, if illegal immigrants were not taking lower paying jobs, Americans would need to fill these positions and likely would require higher pay. The University of San Diego published a report indicating that illegal immigration affected the economy minimally. However, George Borjas, a Harvard economist, stated that because of illegal immigration, the wealth of the average American increases by under one percent. Demanding higher pay of employers, already strapped by a difficult economy, would be harmful and many employers would either refuse or not be able to meet these financial demands. This could result in strikes, boycotts and layoffs, and companies could have trouble staying in business with the increased costs. By helping to avoid these economic disasters, illegal immigrants help our economy. The economic increace is because illegal immigrants don't require a high wage.

By Josh Raizner and Gal Egozi
American taxpayers work hard, and they expect that what they put into the American economy will be available for them in a time of need. Illegal aliens have mishaps and accidents too, and these often result in the need for medical attention. Most illegal immigrants do not have the money to pay for their medical treatment, but the federally-mandated programs that force hospitals to provide illegal aliens with medical treatment means that taxpayers are paying those bills. Tax payers end up spending 100 billion dollars on illegal immigrants each year. Too often, these benefits are a one way street, since the illegal workers who enjoy these benefits do not pay taxes themselves.

Americans who pay their taxes also pay for people who do not pay taxes. So an American taxpayer can lose a lot of money because people enter our country illegally. If the illegal immigration would stop, then there could be tax cuts and people would have more to invest into the economy.

By Josh Raizner
Workers earning a fair wage always helps the economy. The more income an American receives, the more he is able to put back into the economy through investment or purchases. This ensures that the economy grows and is healthy, as the businesses who pay these wages benefit from a healthy work force that in turn is able to purchase their goods and services. However, many illegal aliens do not put their wages back into the American economy, but back to their families in foreign countries, which in many circumstances are ruled by unstable governments. Therefore, the money does not go back into the American economy and instead bolsters the economies of often unfriendly regimes.

By Cyrus Pacht and Gal Egozi
Illegal immigration is definitely an issue in America, but it is not as dangerous as many people make it seem. It has greatly helped the economy. It would the most sense make sense to try to document the illegal immigrants. They should be examined to make sure that they have not done crimes other than their immigration. They should also be given drug tests. The U.S. is making efforts to stop illegal immigration, but it would impossible to completely rid America of illegal immigrants. However, it would not be too challenging to examine the immigrants and make sure they are safe and then document and legalize them. Many illegal immigrants work in fields that most citizens do not chose to work in, such as lawn mowing and housekeeping. Many of them have committed crimes, though, often drug related. However, they are usually arrested in relatively short time, as are citizens who have committed drug related crimes. A much smaller percentage of illegal immigrants have committed extremely dangerous crimes such as murder. The percentage of illegal immigrants that commit murder is not any higher than the percentage of citizens. Because of the crimes that have been committed by illegal immigrants, the U.S. needs to guard the borders much more carefully. They should send them back or have them arrested if they have a criminal record and are dangerous. If they do not have a criminal record and are not dangerous, though, they should go through the legalization process and become documented. For the most part, illegal immigration should be solved not by arrests, but by documentation. America should make it difficult to immigrate here illegally. If they do so, then it will boost the economy because America will not have to pay for the illegal immigrants that do not work. Illegal immigrants can be recorded. America should make a rule that if illegal immigrants can support themselves, then they can stay, but if not, then the government should kick the illegal Americans out.