Introduction
It is important to note that immigration has always been one of the major topics of debate in the United States, where each side either proclaims it to be a centerpiece of the American economy and civic life or a source of job loss and degradation of national identity. Although the topic cannot be easily substantiated and finalized with certainty, the recent political dynamics are indicative of the fact that the issue has changed significantly and gained a new form. The main point of the given writing is to argue that immigration is generally a positive occurrence, which can benefit the United States both economically and socially.
Economic Benefits
One should be aware of the notion that immigration needs to be viewed from the perspective of its social and economic benefits rather than political party-based narratives. Although both the left and the right have different perspectives on the issue, the data is indicative of the fact that immigration brings a host of positive improvements to the United States economy, especially the workforce. However, in order to address the subject in an unbiased and objective manner, it is of paramount importance to separate immigrants into two major groups, where the first one includes highly skilled and educated immigrants.
The second group is comprised of lowly skilled and uneducated individuals. It is stated that “highly educated immigrants confer large positive fiscal impacts, contributing far more in taxes than they consume in public benefits” (Orrenius, 2017, p. 2). In other words, the given group of immigrants brings a wide range of improvements to the economy and the economic output of the United States through a generation of more skilled labor. It is also stated that in regards to the average cost of public goods, immigrants led to negative impacts, whereas in the case of marginal terms, the results are positive or neutral (Gutiérrez, 2019). Therefore, one can evidently claim that immigration in the US primarily benefits from immigrants due to highly skilled workers as well as marginal costs, which are more relevant than average ones.
Opposition
The opponents of immigration might argue that low-skilled immigrants are the main source of problems in the country. The research suggests that highly skilled professionals are present, “but their numbers remain relatively small in comparison to unskilled laborers” (Gutiérrez, 2019, p. 1). In other words, it can give some basis for the statement of the opponents of immigration, where the high percentage of low-skilled workers brings no economic benefit to the American workforce. However, the given point can be rebutted by bringing data in regards to social improvements brought by low-skilled workers. It is stated that immigration “led natives to work in safer jobs; resulted in fewer workplace injuries for natives; and reduced WC benefit claims overall, which had a meaningful impact on employer costs for WC,” where WC means worker compensation (Dillinder & McInerney, 2020, p. 1). In other words, despite not bringing major economic benefits, low-skilled immigrants are highly beneficial for the native workforce population.
Discussion
One of the features of the influx of immigrants is their contribution to the intellectual potential of the United States. Immigrants enable the country to have a greater reach to the intellectual capabilities of the world, which increases its effective use of the global population. In other words, talented and skilled individuals can become invaluable members of American society and enjoy the benefits of being a part of the United States. In addition, immigrants, which are categorized as low-skill workers, are also useful for improving and relocating undesired tasks and labor by the natives in order to facilitate an overall upward movement of the American workforce. The main reason is that these undesired or unappealing positions can be outsourced to immigrants, whereas the native population can benefit from societal progress and advancements. It should also be noted that the influx of immigrants creates additional demand, and therefore jobs. An undoubtedly positive influence can be attributed to the immigration of intellectual resources, including highly qualified specialists in various fields of activity and researchers. Therefore, immigration is a positive occurrence for the United States in both economic and social terms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to point out that immigration in the United States is mostly a positive occurrence, which benefits the American society and economy in a multitude of ways. Although the opponents of immigration might feasible argue that low-skilled immigrants are causes of issues and make up the majority of the influx population, it is evident that they can still be considered a major improvement for the native workforce. In addition, high skilled immigrants are critically relevant and integral to the United States economy since they are beneficial both economically and socially. International migration of the population presents both challenges and new opportunities for countries receiving migrants, which fully applies to national labor markets. The influx of migrants has historically been one of the most important labor resources in the United States.
References
Dillinder, M., & McInerney, M. (2020). The role of Mexican immigration to the United States in improved workplace safety for natives from 1980 to 2015. Journal of Health Economics, 70, 1-19. Web.
Gutiérrez, R. A. (2019). Mexican immigration to the United States. American History, 1, 1-28. Web.
Orrenius, P. (2017). New findings on the fiscal impact of immigration in the United States. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 1704, 1-12. Web.