Immigrant Workers Essay

Immigrant workers in the U.S. have a significant impact on the U.S. economy. The degree and relevance of that impact are often debatable. Some people believe that immigrant workers take jobs away from the natural born U.S. citizen. Others debate that the immigrant worker is a way for the labor market to keep pace with an ever changing job market. Another faction believes that the immigrant worker is necessary to occupy jobs that no longer are desirable by the more educated U.S. work force. These were some of the opinions exhibited by three New York Times guest writers in response to a recent commentary in The Atlantic concerning the possible “harm” immigrant workers may cause to U.S. citizens (Frum). The three esteemed guest writers were David

In my experience, legal immigrant workers work harder and are more productive than native born U.S. citizens when it comes to physical labor. If a U.S.-born citizen gets beat out for a job because they were not as motivated to work as the immigrant that was hired, then I consider it to be the unmotivated worker’s fault that they are unemployed not the immigrants fault. However, I agree that immigration “employment-based visas” should be issued according to “labor market conditions” (Kallick). Furthermore, I disagree with many of the government’s legislative attempts to “defer the deportations” of illegal immigrants (Nakamura). The reasons I disagree with these attempts are all monetary based. Unlike legal immigrants who have paid their dues and contribute to the economic coffers, illegal immigrants often times receive government handouts without actually contributing to the economy. These illegal immigrants are also more likely to get paid “off the books” which creates a drag on the U.S. economy (Rector). If immigrants are legally allowed to work in the U.S., then I will completely support their efforts to find