Immigration Reform To Provide Net Benefit To U.S. Economy

[Chiquitita]

So, isn't immigration reform going to help everyone's wages go up and create more consumer spending? Isn't net immigration from Mexico right now at 0? Hasn't ICE deported more people during the Obama administration than under Bush?

I'm very much in favor of a path to citizenship for the 11 million people already here. Reading comments around the web, it's hard for me to believe that the only people moved to say anything are those who are virulently against the proposed reforms.

My husband, from Europe, is in the process of getting his citizenship now (I was born and raised in Wisconsin). We have never cared about this crap about people getting in line, or worried about anyone getting at the front of the line "before us". I just don't understand why that matters to people, if ultimately we are all going to benefit economically from legalizing people already here.

[link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/immigration-reform-economic-boost_n_2571414.html?utm_hp_ref=business|

[Recursion]

1. Get all current undocumented immigrants over-the-table jobs and the SS "crisis" disappears

Which may be another reason Republicans oppose immigration reform so much. This isn't like offshoring: more people in the country means more work to be done.

[el_bryanto]

2. It depends on how it is done

For one thing, legalizing and formalizing the relationship that some employers have with their illegal employees will make them no longer profitable. I don't know how you get around that - but obviously part of the reason we have an illegal problem in the US is that employers higher them because they can pay them less, provide no benefits, provide lousy and sometimes dangerous working conditions. were they to employ these people openly, some of that would have to change.

Bryant