Douglas Rivlin: “To be pro-immigrant is to be pro-American”
Washington, DC — Immigrants are essential to the identity and history of the US, which has always been a beacon of hope and opportunity for immigrants. The reality is that immigration is an essential ingredient to economic growth as the economy is creating many more jobs than we have people to fill them. As the U.S. population ages, the need for younger workers to drive the economy, pay taxes, support entitlement programs, and work directly in the caregiving and health-care sectors increases. Recently, there have been several new reports, studies, columns, and coverage about the positive impact of immigrants and immigration – including asylum seekers and refugees – on the U.S. economy in the short and long run.
Despite extreme political messages that wrongly emphasize the burdens and threats of immigrants and asylum seekers, the evidence makes a sharply different point: immigrants are – and have long been – the secret sauce of American exceptionalism and global competitiveness and remain a key driver of our economic growth and overall dynamism and vitality.
According to Douglas Rivlin, Senior Director of Communication for America’s Voice:
“To be pro-immigrant is to be pro-American. It is part of America’s recipe for success. Bring together the people striving for a better life in one country working towards a goal of prosperity and you will grow an economy and society and multi-racial democracy together. We all reap a benefit from an immigration system that allows the economy to incorporate new workers and consumers through immigration.”
Below are several recent reminders and coverage underscoring the positive impact of immigrants on the American economy:
- U.S. Health and Human Services Economic Analysis, “New HHS Study Finds Nearly $124 Billion Positive Fiscal Impact of Refugees and Asylees on the American Economy in a 15-Year Period”: “This report sheds light on the significant contributions made by refugees and asylees to the U.S. economy and society. These findings can inform decision-making on resettlement services and contribute to the broader research on the positive impacts of refugees in American communities.”
- Bloomberg Government: “Refugees Bring Net Benefits to US Economy in HHS Cost Analysis”: “Refugees help public coffers in the US, federal officials said in an analysis of how resettling immigrants affects the economy. The Department of Health and Human Services released the findings Thursday, calling the report a breakthrough study of refugees’ impact on federal, state, and local governments.
- Paul Krugman New York Times column, “Immigrants Make America Stronger and Richer”: “Far from taking jobs away, foreign-born workers have played a key role in America’s recent success at combining fast growth with a rapid decline in inflation. And foreign-born workers will also be crucial to the effort to deal with our country’s longer-term problems.”
- Catherine Rampell Washington Post column, “The surge in immigration is a $7 trillion gift to the economy”: “The CBO has now factored in a previously unexpected surge in immigration that began in 2022, which the agency assumes will persist for several years. These immigrants are more likely to work than their native-born counterparts, largely because immigrants skew younger. This infusion of working-age immigrants will more than offset the expected retirement of the aging, native-born population. This will in turn lead to better economic growth.”
- Eduardo Porter and Youyou Zhou Washington Post column, “Here’s which states could benefit most from migrant labor”: “Helping ease migrant workers into the labor force might seem like a pointless suggestion given Republican unwillingness to contemplate anything that might help alleviate the pressure at the southern border. But granting them quick legal authorization to work and offering them a ticket to one of the many hot labor markets in both red and blue states would offer a win for migrants, employers and the American economy.”
- All in with Chris Hayes segment, “‘Massive benefit’: Immigration surge set to boost U.S. economy by $7 trillion”: “The Congressional Budget Office predicts that the GDP of the U.S. economy is going to be boosted by $7 trillion over the next ten years due to the surge in immigration. ‘If you care about the growth of the U.S. economy and more deeply about the strength of our country as a whole—we should be grateful for our immigration rates and find ways to make paths into this great country more orderly and humane.’”
Additional Resources from America’s Voice
- America’s Voice Statement (2/14/24): ICYMI — Immigrants Make America Stronger and Richer
- America’s Voice Statement (2/8/24): If You’re Glad that Inflation and Deficits are Going Down, Thank Immigrants, Say the Experts
- America’s Voice/Immigration Research Initiative Webinar (2/7/24): NEW Report Projects Economic Growth and Contributions for Asylum Seekers and New Immigrants Across U.S.
