Do harsh immigration policies hurt the economy?

blackharvest216 · May 27, 2015

Human immigration has existed for all of our history, the entire world was populated by free immigration, the USA was especially created by immigration and the concept of free movement from around the world. Whether it was the first native american tribes from Asia over the Bering straight or, the European settlers with their African slaves, to the millions of immigrants and refugees from around the world, that have settled here, throughout the years.

Yet ironically the USA currently has the world's strictest immigration policy, does this ultra nationalistic stance towards immigrants hurt the economy and the USA itself?

While proponents of harsh immigration laws in Kansas claim that passing these laws would save the state money, experience from other states shows harsh immigration-control laws will actually cost the state millions of dollars. Implementing the laws and defending them in the courts would cost Kansass taxpayers millions they can ill afford. The laws would make it more difficult for businesses to operate in the state and would deter investment, and the loss of taxpayers and consumers could devastate Kansass economy.

After the legislatures in Arizona, Alabama, and other states approved their immigration-control bills, these states experienced negative economic consequences. Meanwhile, other states have considered similar proposals, but abandoned them after concluding that the economic consequences and enforcement costs would prove too high.

Kansas needs its immigrant workforce and tax base.

Over the past two decades, Kansas has increasingly come to rely on immigrants for growth. In the last 10 years, Kansass population has grown by only 20,000 overall. Native Kansans have been leaving the state (77,890 between 2000 and 2011) at a faster rate than immigrants have arrived (57,951 in that same period).

Immigrants comprised 8.3% of the states workforce in 2010 (or 124,253 workers), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Unauthorized immigrants comprised roughly 3.3% of the states workforce (or 45,000 workers) in 2010, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center.

The unemployment rate in Kansas, 6.2%, is well below the national average.

Latino and Asian entrepreneurs and consumers add tens of billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to Kansass economy.

The 2010 purchasing power of Latinos totaled $5.6 billionan increase of 539.1% since 1990. Asian buying power in Kansas totaled $2.3 billionan increase of 468% since 1990, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.
Kansass 4,833 Asian-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $1.4 billion and employed 12,676 people in 2007, the last year for which data is available. The states 5,763 Latino-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $1.3 billion and employed 7,935 people in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Survey of Business Owners.

Kansass 8,922 foreign students contributed $186 million to the states economy in tuition, fees, and living expenses for the 2009-2010 academic year, according to the NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Harsh immigration laws will harm Kansass economy.

Anti-immigrant laws have a negative impact on a states economy. If unauthorized immigrants leave, the state loses workers and consumers who earn and spend money and pay taxes in the state. Unauthorized immigrants comprised roughly 3.3% of Kansass workforce (or 45,000 workers) in 2010, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center. Experiences from other states that have passed harsh immigration laws tell a cautionary tale:

According to Prof. Samuel Addy at the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama, Alabamas HB 56 could shrink Alabamas Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to $10.8 billion. It will result in a shrinking of the state economy and will be seen in lower economic output, personal income, and fewer jobs than would otherwise have been. Prof. Addy estimates that a loss of 40,000 to 80,000 unauthorized immigrants who earn between $15,000 and $35,000 annually could result in:

70,000 to 140,000 lost jobs;

$2.3 to $10.8 billion reduction in Alabama GDP, or 1.3 to 6.2 percent of the states $172.6 billion GDP in 2010;
$57 to $264 million loss in state income and sales tax collections; and
$20 to $93 million loss in local sales tax collections.

If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Kansas, the state would lose $1.8 billion in economic activity, $807.2 million in gross state product, and approximately 11,879 jobs, even accounting for adequate market adjustment time, according to a report by the Perryman Group.
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http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/ju...w-anti-immigrant-laws-can-hurt-kansas-economy

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Do harsh immigration policies hurt the economy?

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