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The Case for More Immigrants
May 02, 2016
When refugees of a military or economic war swarm into a neighboring land, immigration is a problem: as in Lebanon, which took in a million Syrians terrorized by intervention (some of it ours), and then succumbed to the dangerous spread of poverty and unemployment by turning new immigrants away; and in the U.S., where the economic trade war called NAFTA caused displaced Mexican workers to seek simple survival across the border.
But overall, the merits of immigration greatly outweigh the potential disadvantages.
1. Immigrants Are Entrepreneurs
- In Big Business: A recent study found that immigrants started more than half of current U.S. startups valued at $1 billion or more.
- In Small Business: According to the Wall Street Journal, immigrants make up 13 percent of the population, but 28 percent of the small business owners.
Immigrants are nearly twice as likely to start businesses than native-born Americans, and, among people with advanced degrees, three times more likely to file patents.
2. Immigrants Are Job Creators
According to an SEC report, "Study after study has shown that immigration and economic growth go hand in hand."
Research suggests that immigrants raise the standard of living of Americans through higher wages and lower prices. They tend to complement the existing workforce rather than compete with it. For example, the construction work of lower-skilled immigrants allows contracting companies to build more homes.
Amidst all the productivity, there is little evidence that a connection exists between immigration and unemployment rates in the United States.
3. Immigrants Help Developing Neighborhoods
Immigrants boost local economies by starting businesses in developing neighborhoods, especially in Hispanic communities, the fastest growing segment of the immigrant population. In the last three years, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses has grown at an annual rate 15 times that of the rate for all companies.
Hispanics make up 17 percent of the population but represent 28 percent of small business owners.
4. Immigrants Commit Fewer Crimes
Census data show that native-born Americans are five times more likely to be institutionalized (mostly in prison), in good part because immigrants commit less crimes.
A Final Myth Dispelled
The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. has fallen in recent years. This may be one of our problems: we need more immigrants, not less. We need cultural diversity to stimulate the economy, to make us resilient in times of adversity, and to make us more accepting of people and ideas outside our normal boundaries of comfort.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Paul Buchheit
Paul Buchheit is an advocate for social and economic justice, and the author of numerous papers on economic inequality and cognitive science. He was recently named one of 300 Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models. He is the author of "American Wars: Illusions and Realities" (2008) and "Disposable Americans: Extreme Capitalism and the Case for a Guaranteed Income" (2017). Contact email: paul (at) youdeservefacts.org.
When refugees of a military or economic war swarm into a neighboring land, immigration is a problem: as in Lebanon, which took in a million Syrians terrorized by intervention (some of it ours), and then succumbed to the dangerous spread of poverty and unemployment by turning new immigrants away; and in the U.S., where the economic trade war called NAFTA caused displaced Mexican workers to seek simple survival across the border.
But overall, the merits of immigration greatly outweigh the potential disadvantages.
1. Immigrants Are Entrepreneurs
- In Big Business: A recent study found that immigrants started more than half of current U.S. startups valued at $1 billion or more.
- In Small Business: According to the Wall Street Journal, immigrants make up 13 percent of the population, but 28 percent of the small business owners.
Immigrants are nearly twice as likely to start businesses than native-born Americans, and, among people with advanced degrees, three times more likely to file patents.
2. Immigrants Are Job Creators
According to an SEC report, "Study after study has shown that immigration and economic growth go hand in hand."
Research suggests that immigrants raise the standard of living of Americans through higher wages and lower prices. They tend to complement the existing workforce rather than compete with it. For example, the construction work of lower-skilled immigrants allows contracting companies to build more homes.
Amidst all the productivity, there is little evidence that a connection exists between immigration and unemployment rates in the United States.
3. Immigrants Help Developing Neighborhoods
Immigrants boost local economies by starting businesses in developing neighborhoods, especially in Hispanic communities, the fastest growing segment of the immigrant population. In the last three years, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses has grown at an annual rate 15 times that of the rate for all companies.
Hispanics make up 17 percent of the population but represent 28 percent of small business owners.
4. Immigrants Commit Fewer Crimes
Census data show that native-born Americans are five times more likely to be institutionalized (mostly in prison), in good part because immigrants commit less crimes.
A Final Myth Dispelled
The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. has fallen in recent years. This may be one of our problems: we need more immigrants, not less. We need cultural diversity to stimulate the economy, to make us resilient in times of adversity, and to make us more accepting of people and ideas outside our normal boundaries of comfort.
Paul Buchheit
Paul Buchheit is an advocate for social and economic justice, and the author of numerous papers on economic inequality and cognitive science. He was recently named one of 300 Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models. He is the author of "American Wars: Illusions and Realities" (2008) and "Disposable Americans: Extreme Capitalism and the Case for a Guaranteed Income" (2017). Contact email: paul (at) youdeservefacts.org.
When refugees of a military or economic war swarm into a neighboring land, immigration is a problem: as in Lebanon, which took in a million Syrians terrorized by intervention (some of it ours), and then succumbed to the dangerous spread of poverty and unemployment by turning new immigrants away; and in the U.S., where the economic trade war called NAFTA caused displaced Mexican workers to seek simple survival across the border.
But overall, the merits of immigration greatly outweigh the potential disadvantages.
1. Immigrants Are Entrepreneurs
- In Big Business: A recent study found that immigrants started more than half of current U.S. startups valued at $1 billion or more.
- In Small Business: According to the Wall Street Journal, immigrants make up 13 percent of the population, but 28 percent of the small business owners.
Immigrants are nearly twice as likely to start businesses than native-born Americans, and, among people with advanced degrees, three times more likely to file patents.
2. Immigrants Are Job Creators
According to an SEC report, "Study after study has shown that immigration and economic growth go hand in hand."
Research suggests that immigrants raise the standard of living of Americans through higher wages and lower prices. They tend to complement the existing workforce rather than compete with it. For example, the construction work of lower-skilled immigrants allows contracting companies to build more homes.
Amidst all the productivity, there is little evidence that a connection exists between immigration and unemployment rates in the United States.
3. Immigrants Help Developing Neighborhoods
Immigrants boost local economies by starting businesses in developing neighborhoods, especially in Hispanic communities, the fastest growing segment of the immigrant population. In the last three years, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses has grown at an annual rate 15 times that of the rate for all companies.
Hispanics make up 17 percent of the population but represent 28 percent of small business owners.
4. Immigrants Commit Fewer Crimes
Census data show that native-born Americans are five times more likely to be institutionalized (mostly in prison), in good part because immigrants commit less crimes.
A Final Myth Dispelled
The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. has fallen in recent years. This may be one of our problems: we need more immigrants, not less. We need cultural diversity to stimulate the economy, to make us resilient in times of adversity, and to make us more accepting of people and ideas outside our normal boundaries of comfort.
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