IMMIGRATION. Immigration in the modern sense refers to the long term movement of people from one nation-state to another, where they are not citizens.

IMMIGRATIONIMMIGRATION

ImmigrationImmigration in the modern sense in the modern sense refers to the long term movement of refers to the long term movement of people from one nation-state to people from one nation-state to another, where they are not citizens another, where they are not citizens

Facts….Facts….

UN: 190 million in 2005, about 3% of UN: 190 million in 2005, about 3% of global population. global population.

High-income developed countries High-income developed countries have 65% of international have 65% of international immigrants immigrants

Low and lower-middle income Low and lower-middle income countries have 35%countries have 35%

The number of international The number of international immigrants is highest in the United immigrants is highest in the United States States

The European Union allows labor The European Union allows labor migration between member states migration between member states but inter-EU migration is relatively but inter-EU migration is relatively low low

Why people immigrate?Why people immigrate?

Two main factors:Two main factors:– Push factorsPush factors

EconomicEconomic– Wage ratesWage rates– Living standardsLiving standards– Escape from povertyEscape from poverty

Non economicNon economic– Persecution (i.e. Persecution (i.e.

religious, political)religious, political)– Personal reasonsPersonal reasons

Pull factorsPull factors. . – EconomicEconomic

Availability of jobsAvailability of jobsExpatsExpats

– Environment (climate, people)Environment (climate, people)– EducationEducation

The IssueThe Issue

Immigration is a politicized issue, and Immigration is a politicized issue, and in some countries it is a major in some countries it is a major political issue. (US)political issue. (US)

SupportSupport– Economic (free global labor market with no Economic (free global labor market with no

restrictions on immigration would, in the long restrictions on immigration would, in the long run, boost global prosperity. )run, boost global prosperity. )

– Cultural diversityCultural diversity

AntiAnti– XenophobiaXenophobia– Economic issues (costs of immigration, Economic issues (costs of immigration,

and competition in the labor market) and competition in the labor market) – Environmental issues (impact of Environmental issues (impact of

population growth)population growth)– The impact on the national identityThe impact on the national identity

I. Current SituationI. Current Situation

II. International AspectsII. International Aspects

III. Special ProblemsIII. Special Problems

IV. The FutureIV. The Future

I. Current SituationI. Current Situation

““Determining the impact of illegal workers on Determining the impact of illegal workers on employment rates, GDP and health care costs, employment rates, GDP and health care costs, among other numbers, is tricky because of the among other numbers, is tricky because of the nature of their being undocumented. Government nature of their being undocumented. Government and private industries can't track numbers — and private industries can't track numbers — productivity, purchasing patterns or wages, for productivity, purchasing patterns or wages, for instance — like they would for legal sectors of the instance — like they would for legal sectors of the economy, because the underground market is just economy, because the underground market is just thatthat.”.”

- - Greg Simmons, FOX NewsGreg Simmons, FOX News

Pros of ImmigrationPros of Immigration

Diversify economy Diversify economy and contribute to and contribute to economic growtheconomic growth

Pros of ImmigrationPros of Immigration

Increase labor supplyIncrease labor supply– Perform in unskilled labor Perform in unskilled labor

jobsjobs– US is switching to a society US is switching to a society

with higher education and with higher education and high tech and producing high tech and producing fewer janitors, farmers, and fewer janitors, farmers, and low wage, low education low wage, low education workersworkers

Pros of ImmigrationPros of Immigration

Not a drain on public fundsNot a drain on public funds– Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League

of United Latin American Citizens, says of United Latin American Citizens, says immigrants pay property and sales taxes as immigrants pay property and sales taxes as well as spend money here. Produce and spend well as spend money here. Produce and spend about $800 billionabout $800 billion

Pros of ImmigrationPros of Immigration

Spending more money on border Spending more money on border control with fewer results 1985-$1 control with fewer results 1985-$1 billion 2002-$4.9 billionbillion 2002-$4.9 billion

Cons of ImmigrationCons of Immigration

Economy may not be able to handle Economy may not be able to handle growth from immigrationgrowth from immigration

"Fiscal drain" of billions of dollars in "Fiscal drain" of billions of dollars in education and urgent health care, among education and urgent health care, among other servicesother services– In a study by Jack Martin, special projects In a study by Jack Martin, special projects

director for the Federation for American director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, he found that Californians Immigration Reform, he found that Californians pay an average of 1,000 dollars per year for pay an average of 1,000 dollars per year for illegal immigrantsillegal immigrants

Cons of ImmigrationCons of Immigration

$15 billion or more is sent home to $15 billion or more is sent home to Mexico every year in the form of Mexico every year in the form of remittances, or cash and wire remittances, or cash and wire transfers to family memberstransfers to family members

Cons of ImmigrationCons of Immigration

Growing class division and wage gap Growing class division and wage gap between those living in the USbetween those living in the US

Hurting the unskilled workforce of Hurting the unskilled workforce of AmericansAmericans– Reduce their wages by 5%Reduce their wages by 5%

Cons of ImmigrationCons of Immigration

Creating a permanent Creating a permanent group of working poorgroup of working poor

Not all immigrants pay Not all immigrants pay taxes, contributing to taxes, contributing to the heath care and the heath care and education them and education them and their families may their families may receive receive

II. International AspectsII. International Aspects

Why Immigrate to different Why Immigrate to different countries? countries?

EducationEducation OpportunitiesOpportunities FamineFamine UnemploymentUnemployment PovertyPoverty Crippling TaxesCrippling Taxes WarsWars Religious and political persecutionReligious and political persecution

Immigration around the GlobeImmigration around the Globe

Legal Immigration to the United Legal Immigration to the United StatesStates

Economic ConsequencesEconomic Consequences

Source country- “brain drain”, Source country- “brain drain”, economic development will suffereconomic development will suffer

Adverse effect of labor market, Adverse effect of labor market, public finances, social conditions and public finances, social conditions and the distribution of income.the distribution of income.

Proposals to solve the issue Proposals to solve the issue internationally internationally

Intercept unauthorized immigrants at the border

Stop employers from hiring undocumented immigrants

Stop government services to unauthorized immigrants

Expand the number of legal immigrants to fit the existing job market

Old ApproachOld Approach

Border Patrol agents building high fences across the border making illegal immigration a felony Punish employers who hire undocumented workers

New ApproachNew Approach

Tougher approach has failedTougher approach has failed New approach is needed that can be New approach is needed that can be

enforcedenforced Must accommodate the reality of the Must accommodate the reality of the

situationsituation

III. Special ProblemsIII. Special Problems

Special ProblemsSpecial Problems

Some sources say that without immigration, Some sources say that without immigration, more jobs would be outsourced overseas more jobs would be outsourced overseas such as linens. With cheap immigrant labor, such as linens. With cheap immigrant labor, the United States economy is able to keep the United States economy is able to keep jobs in the United States. Nearly one third of jobs in the United States. Nearly one third of U.S. garment workers are immigrants. If it U.S. garment workers are immigrants. If it weren’t for immigration we would likely be weren’t for immigration we would likely be importing even more clothing. importing even more clothing.

Potential WinnersPotential Winners

EntrepreneursEntrepreneurs- able to find low cost, low - able to find low cost, low skill workers who don’t need to speak skill workers who don’t need to speak much English, such as construction, much English, such as construction, landscaping.landscaping.

Potential WinnersPotential Winners

EntrepreneursEntrepreneurs- able to find low cost, low - able to find low cost, low skill workers who don’t need to speak skill workers who don’t need to speak much English, such as construction, much English, such as construction, landscaping.landscaping.

Illegal immigrants and their familiesIllegal immigrants and their families--- --- illegal workers earn 8 times as much as illegal workers earn 8 times as much as the average worker in Mexico.the average worker in Mexico.

Potential WinnersPotential Winners

EntrepreneursEntrepreneurs- able to find low cost, low - able to find low cost, low skill workers who don’t need to speak skill workers who don’t need to speak much English, such as construction, much English, such as construction, landscaping.landscaping.

Illegal immigrants and their familiesIllegal immigrants and their families--- --- illegal workers earn 8 times as much as illegal workers earn 8 times as much as the average worker in Mexico.the average worker in Mexico.

Workers seeking government jobsWorkers seeking government jobs------government employees needed to provide government employees needed to provide government services that the low income government services that the low income population of immigrants would need. population of immigrants would need.

Potential LosersPotential Losers

TeenagersTeenagers—usually seek low skill, —usually seek low skill, after school and summer jobs at after school and summer jobs at restaurants, construction, and retail restaurants, construction, and retail outlets. outlets.

Potential LosersPotential Losers

TeenagersTeenagers—usually seek low skill, —usually seek low skill, after school and summer jobs at after school and summer jobs at restaurants, construction, and retail restaurants, construction, and retail outlets. outlets.

General PublicGeneral Public– Rising HealthCare – Rising HealthCare CostsCosts

IV. The FutureIV. The Future

There are indications that there may now be some There are indications that there may now be some type of compromise which would implement the type of compromise which would implement the legalization and guest worker concept. The House legalization and guest worker concept. The House leadership postponed any serious consideration leadership postponed any serious consideration of the issue until after the November 2006 of the issue until after the November 2006 elections. Opposition to any form of "amnesty" elections. Opposition to any form of "amnesty" remains fierce among many immigration remains fierce among many immigration opponents. opponents.

Economic globalization and trends in Economic globalization and trends in information technology will affect information technology will affect economic migration.economic migration.

Economic globalization and trends in Economic globalization and trends in information technology will affect information technology will affect economic migration. economic migration.

Congressional actions that increase the Congressional actions that increase the number of "temporary" skilled workers number of "temporary" skilled workers may be a signal of change in policy that may be a signal of change in policy that will increase the number of skilled will increase the number of skilled immigrantsimmigrants

Economic globalization and trends in Economic globalization and trends in information technology will affect information technology will affect economic migration. economic migration.

Congressional actions that increase the Congressional actions that increase the number of "temporary" skilled workers number of "temporary" skilled workers may be a signal of change in policy that may be a signal of change in policy that will increase the number of skilled will increase the number of skilled immigrants immigrants

There is great uncertainty. It is difficult to There is great uncertainty. It is difficult to project from where future waves of project from where future waves of refugees will come refugees will come

The latest….The latest….

President Bush signed a bill that would President Bush signed a bill that would authorize the construction of 700 miles of authorize the construction of 700 miles of fence along the southern U.S. border a bill fence along the southern U.S. border a bill that was not what Bush originally planned. that was not what Bush originally planned. Instead, he had pushed for a plan that Instead, he had pushed for a plan that would include guest-worker programs and would include guest-worker programs and the possibility of citizenship for the the possibility of citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants estimated 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the United States. currently in the United States.

““A fence will slow people down by a minute A fence will slow people down by a minute or two, but if you don’t have the agents to or two, but if you don’t have the agents to stop them, it does no good.”stop them, it does no good.”

- T.J. Bonner - T.J. Bonner (President of the National Border (President of the National Border Patrol Council) Patrol Council)

Compromise?Compromise?